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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: swing · chip · fan · sharp · press · race · stand · stem

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. stem — to come from
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. stand — to bear
  7. swing — to play on
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. swing — music
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. press — newspapers
  13. chip — for betting
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. race — humankind
  16. press — to push
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. race — the arms race
  19. press — a publisher
  20. chip — to eat
  21. swing — in golf
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. race — a contest

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