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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: press · swing · hand · cap · saw · rock · jam · pit

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. swing — music
  3. swing — in golf
  4. press — to push
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. swing — to play on
  10. saw — the tool
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. pit — in a race
  13. hand — in cards
  14. hand — help
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. cap — of ice
  18. saw — the tool
  19. cap — a hat
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. rock — music
  22. pit — a hole
  23. press — newspapers
  24. press — a publisher

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