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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: jam · key · wake · swing · mark · press · dip · race

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. swing — music
  5. press — a publisher
  6. wake — a trail
  7. swing — to play on
  8. key — for a lock
  9. mark — a trace
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. race — humankind
  12. swing — in golf
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. press — to push
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. race — the arms race
  17. dip — to sink
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. key — in music
  20. mark — a grade
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. key — the most important part
  24. press — newspapers

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