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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: press · bound · race · cabinet · swing · fine · court · dip

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. race — the arms race
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. press — to push
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. swing — to play on
  8. swing — music
  9. dip — to sink
  10. press — newspapers
  11. bound — certain
  12. fine — high quality
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. court — for sport
  15. race — a contest
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. court — of law
  19. bound — tied together
  20. press — a publisher
  21. swing — in golf
  22. bound — obliged
  23. race — humankind
  24. fine — all right

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