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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: craft · spell · pitch · chip · hide · press · track · swing

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. press — to push
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. pitch — completely
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. craft — boats
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. press — newspapers
  9. swing — music
  10. swing — in golf
  11. chip — to eat
  12. spell — magic
  13. spell — letters
  14. track — to keep track
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. spell — a short time
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. track — a path
  20. chip — for betting
  21. swing — to play on
  22. track — a song
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. craft — a skill

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