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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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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: ground · bore · mouse · lash · chip · press · wind · swing

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. ground — the earth
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. chip — to eat
  9. wind — moving air
  10. press — to push
  11. press — newspapers
  12. chip — for betting
  13. swing — to play on
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. press — a publisher
  16. ground — a position
  17. bore — to drill
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. bore — to tire
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. ground — crushed
  23. wind — moving air
  24. swing — 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