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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: bore · swing · row · pass · spring · press · can · root

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. spring — the season
  3. spring — a coil
  4. can — a tin
  5. bore — to tire
  6. spring — of water
  7. swing — in golf
  8. row — to paddle
  9. row — a line
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. root — of a word
  12. root — the cause
  13. bore — to drill
  14. press — newspapers
  15. can — a tin
  16. press — to push
  17. press — a publisher
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. root — of a plant
  20. swing — to play on
  21. swing — music
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. pass — a permit
  24. can — to be able to

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