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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 · nail · bound · press · club · roll · squash · trunk

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. swing — music
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. press — a publisher
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. bound — obliged
  9. press — to push
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. bound — tied together
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. bound — certain
  14. swing — to play on
  15. squash — the sport
  16. swing — in golf
  17. roll — a cake
  18. roll — a list
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. press — newspapers
  21. club — for golf
  22. club — a group
  23. squash — to crush
  24. club — for dancing

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