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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: chip · spring · track · bound · fine · current · swing · press

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. spring — of water
  3. press — newspapers
  4. track — a song
  5. spring — the season
  6. fine — all right
  7. bound — obliged
  8. track — a path
  9. track — to keep track
  10. chip — for betting
  11. press — to push
  12. current — of water
  13. press — a publisher
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. current — happening now
  16. swing — music
  17. swing — to play on
  18. chip — to eat
  19. fine — high quality
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. bound — certain
  22. current — electric
  23. bound — tied together
  24. spring — a coil

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