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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: swing · leaves · current · root · press · stand · dip · bass

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. press — to push
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. press — newspapers
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. root — the cause
  9. current — electric
  10. bass — the fish
  11. press — a publisher
  12. root — of a word
  13. current — of water
  14. stand — to bear
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. swing — to play on
  17. root — of a plant
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. dip — to sink
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. swing — in golf
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. current — happening now
  24. swing — music

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