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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 120 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: court · rock · current · press · swing · suit · plane · arm

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. swing — in golf
  3. press — a publisher
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. press — to push
  6. suit — clothes
  7. swing — to play on
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — a tool
  10. swing — music
  11. court — of a king
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. court — for sport
  14. suit — in cards
  15. current — electric
  16. suit — to fit
  17. current — of water
  18. rock — a stone
  19. press — newspapers
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. current — happening now
  23. court — of law
  24. rock — music

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