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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ball · charge · press · rock · bass · swing

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. David sat on the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ball — a dance
  5. press — newspapers
  6. charge — in control
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. rock — music
  9. charge — electricity
  10. rock — a stone
  11. bass — low music
  12. press — to push
  13. press — a publisher
  14. charge — a price
  15. swing — music
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. swing — in golf
  18. swing — to play on

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com