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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 120 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: firm · press · club · mine · fork · mug · vault · swing

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. swing — to play on
  4. firm — a company
  5. mine — for digging
  6. swing — music
  7. club — for dancing
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. fork — in a road
  10. mug — a face
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. firm — decided
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. swing — in golf
  15. vault — a safe
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mug — a cup
  18. press — to push
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. firm — steady
  21. club — for golf
  22. press — a publisher
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. club — a group

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