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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: pop · swing · racket · press · safe · face · straw · bank

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — of a river
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. face — part of the head
  7. face — to point toward
  8. bank — for money
  9. press — a publisher
  10. swing — music
  11. pop — music
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. press — to push
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. pop — soda
  18. swing — to play on
  19. face — to confront
  20. swing — in golf
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. pop — to visit
  24. press — newspapers

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