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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: race · swing · press · current · safe · hide

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  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. press — a publisher
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. press — to push
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. race — the arms race
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. current — of water
  8. press — newspapers
  9. swing — to play on
  10. race — humankind
  11. current — happening now
  12. current — electric
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. swing — music
  15. race — a contest
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. safe — out of danger
  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