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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: plane · chip · swing · nail · racket · march · press · bound

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. swing — music
  3. swing — to play on
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. chip — for betting
  8. press — a publisher
  9. march — music
  10. swing — in golf
  11. press — newspapers
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. chip — to eat
  14. bound — certain
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. press — to push
  19. bound — tied together
  20. plane — a tool
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. bound — obliged
  24. march — the month

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