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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 116 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: sharp · staff · press · pass · race · firm · rock · swing

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. staff — a stick
  3. rock — music
  4. race — a contest
  5. firm — steady
  6. swing — music
  7. race — the arms race
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. press — newspapers
  10. race — humankind
  11. swing — in golf
  12. press — a publisher
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. staff — employees
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. swing — to play on
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. sharp — clever
  19. pass — a permit
  20. firm — a company
  21. rock — a stone
  22. press — to push
  23. firm — decided
  24. staff — employees

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