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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: press · swing · band · suit · rock · can · board · craft

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. rock — music
  3. suit — in cards
  4. swing — to play on
  5. craft — boats
  6. press — newspapers
  7. press — a publisher
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. band — a music group
  10. can — to be able to
  11. band — a ring
  12. board — a committee
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. can — a tin
  15. press — to push
  16. rock — a stone
  17. swing — music
  18. craft — a skill
  19. can — a tin
  20. board — to get on
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. swing — in golf
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. suit — clothes

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