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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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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: ground · press · firm · charge · swing · plane · row · rush

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. swing — music
  3. swing — to play on
  4. press — a publisher
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. ground — the earth
  7. plane — a tool
  8. row — to paddle
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. swing — in golf
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. press — newspapers
  13. firm — a company
  14. rush — hurry
  15. row — a line
  16. charge — in control
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. firm — steady
  19. charge — electricity
  20. ground — a position
  21. press — to push
  22. firm — decided
  23. ground — crushed
  24. charge — a price

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