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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: coach · bank · ball · game · bore · cap · swing · press

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bore — to tire
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. press — newspapers
  5. press — a publisher
  6. swing — to play on
  7. bank — for money
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. ball — a great time
  10. swing — in golf
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. cap — of ice
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bank — for money
  15. ball — a dance
  16. press — to push
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. game — wild animals
  19. game — a match
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. cap — a lid
  22. swing — music
  23. bore — to drill
  24. cap — a hat

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