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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: straw · charge · bay · jam · swing · dip · press · spell

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. dip — to sink
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. spell — a short time
  7. spell — magic
  8. press — newspapers
  9. swing — to play on
  10. charge — a price
  11. spell — letters
  12. press — a publisher
  13. swing — music
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. swing — in golf
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. charge — in control
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. charge — electricity
  23. press — to push
  24. dip — to dunk

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