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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.

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: press · row · lean · plane · charge · court · patient · swing

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. swing — to play on
  3. row — to paddle
  4. row — a line
  5. court — of a king
  6. lean — to bend
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. charge — in control
  9. swing — in golf
  10. lean — thin
  11. press — newspapers
  12. court — for sport
  13. press — a publisher
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. charge — electricity
  16. charge — a price
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. swing — music
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. plane — a tool
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. court — of law
  23. press — to push
  24. patient — a sick person

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