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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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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: cap · pass · press · suit · hand · ball · mark · swing

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  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. ball — a dance
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. suit — clothes
  4. swing — to play on
  5. press — newspapers
  6. suit — to fit
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. hand — in cards
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mark — a trace
  13. cap — of ice
  14. swing — in golf
  15. cap — a hat
  16. ball — a great time
  17. pass — a permit
  18. cap — a lid
  19. hand — help
  20. swing — music
  21. suit — in cards
  22. press — to push
  23. ball — a round shape
  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