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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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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 · fine · deal · dip · date · swing · ruler · band

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. swing — to play on
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. press — a publisher
  5. fine — all right
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. swing — music
  8. press — to push
  9. deal — to handle
  10. swing — in golf
  11. band — a music group
  12. date — the fruit
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. fine — high quality
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. dip — to sink
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. press — newspapers
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. band — a ring
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. date — on the calendar

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