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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · calf · rash · bass · bear · press · rule · shower

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. 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. swing — in golf
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. swing — to play on
  4. bass — low music
  5. shower — to wash
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. bear — the animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bear — the animal
  13. rash — hasty
  14. swing — music
  15. rule — government
  16. rash — a series
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. shower — rain
  19. press — to push
  20. press — newspapers
  21. rule — a law
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. bass — the fish
  24. 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