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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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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: mark · swing · kid · band · press · ruler

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. band — a music group
  3. band — a ring
  4. swing — in golf
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. press — newspapers
  8. swing — music
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. kid — to tease
  15. press — to push
  16. kid — child
  17. swing — to play on
  18. press — a publisher

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