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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 116 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: calf · current · mate · saw · press · rule · swing · can

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. swing — in golf
  3. current — electric
  4. mate — a partner
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rule — a law
  7. rule — government
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. press — newspapers
  10. can — a tin
  11. press — to push
  12. saw — the tool
  13. swing — to play on
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. press — a publisher
  16. swing — music
  17. current — happening now
  18. mate — to breed
  19. can — a tin
  20. mate — a friend
  21. can — to be able to
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. saw — the tool
  24. current — of water

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