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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: bore · swing · racket · chip · scale · press · rock · mark

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. chip — to eat
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. mark — a grade
  6. chip — for betting
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bore — to tire
  11. swing — in golf
  12. swing — to play on
  13. rock — music
  14. mark — a trace
  15. press — to push
  16. press — newspapers
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. scale — size or range
  20. scale — in music
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. rock — a stone
  23. swing — music
  24. mark — to pay attention

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