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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.

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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 · mouse · date · fan · drill · club · press · bay

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. date — the fruit
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. swing — in golf
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. press — newspapers
  10. club — for dancing
  11. press — to push
  12. drill — army training
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. swing — to play on
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. drill — the tool
  19. press — a publisher
  20. club — a group
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. club — for golf
  24. swing — music

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