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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · rest · swing · charge · roll · fan · safe · stand

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. press — to push
  4. roll — a list
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. charge — in control
  8. swing — in golf
  9. roll — a cake
  10. stand — to bear
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. press — newspapers
  13. charge — a price
  14. swing — to play on
  15. rest — a break
  16. charge — electricity
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — what's left
  21. press — a publisher
  22. swing — music
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. fan — a supporter

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