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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 120 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 · bore · chip · leaves · race · saw · press · net

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. net — for catching
  3. swing — to play on
  4. race — a contest
  5. saw — the tool
  6. net — in sport
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. swing — music
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. swing — in golf
  11. chip — for betting
  12. race — the arms race
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. race — humankind
  16. bore — to drill
  17. press — a publisher
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bore — to tire
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. net — after costs
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. press — to push
  24. chip — to eat

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