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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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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: can · press · staff · scale · swing · mouse · kid · season

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. can — a tin
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. staff — employees
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. season — of the year
  7. can — to be able to
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. swing — music
  10. staff — employees
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. swing — to play on
  13. season — in sport
  14. press — to push
  15. scale — in music
  16. staff — a stick
  17. kid — child
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. swing — in golf
  20. press — a publisher
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. scale — size or range
  23. kid — to tease
  24. can — a tin

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