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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: swing · press · stick · bound · season · can · chair · rule

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. press — newspapers
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bound — obliged
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. press — a publisher
  9. bound — certain
  10. press — to push
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. season — of the year
  13. bound — tied together
  14. can — to be able to
  15. swing — in golf
  16. can — a tin
  17. swing — to play on
  18. swing — music
  19. can — a tin
  20. rule — a law
  21. season — in sport
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. chair — a leader

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