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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 · mug · press · club · capital · staff · cue · bound

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. bound — certain
  3. bound — tied together
  4. club — for dancing
  5. club — a group
  6. press — to push
  7. swing — music
  8. mug — to rob
  9. capital — a city
  10. staff — employees
  11. cue — a signal
  12. capital — money
  13. cue — for pool
  14. swing — to play on
  15. staff — employees
  16. mug — a face
  17. club — for golf
  18. cue — a hint
  19. press — newspapers
  20. mug — a cup
  21. press — a publisher
  22. bound — obliged
  23. swing — in golf
  24. staff — a stick

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