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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 · fork · shower · temple · firm · press · sharp · arm

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. press — newspapers
  3. swing — to play on
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. press — a publisher
  8. fork — in a road
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. shower — to wash
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. firm — steady
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. swing — music
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. shower — rain
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. firm — decided
  22. press — to push
  23. swing — in golf
  24. firm — a company

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