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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 · can · press · craft · wind · coach · chip · pit

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. chip — to eat
  3. can — a tin
  4. wind — moving air
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. press — a publisher
  7. swing — to play on
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. pit — a hole
  11. swing — music
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. press — to push
  14. wind — moving air
  15. can — a tin
  16. chip — for betting
  17. press — newspapers
  18. pit — in a race
  19. craft — boats
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. craft — a skill
  23. swing — in golf
  24. coach — a trainer

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