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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
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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: drill · press · pass · branch · row · charge · deal · swing

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. swing — in golf
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. branch — a division
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. charge — a price
  7. drill — army training
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. press — a publisher
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. charge — in control
  12. swing — music
  13. row — a line
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. charge — electricity
  16. drill — a practice
  17. row — to paddle
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. swing — to play on
  21. drill — the tool
  22. press — newspapers
  23. pass — a permit
  24. deal — to handle

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