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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 124 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: swing · kick · band · press · craft · board

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. press — newspapers
  3. swing — music
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. band — a ring
  6. press — a publisher
  7. band — a music group
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. board — a committee
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — to get on
  14. craft — boats
  15. press — to push
  16. kick — in football
  17. craft — a skill
  18. swing — in golf

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