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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: swing · game · rock · press · pitch · lash · object · rest

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. press — newspapers
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. swing — music
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. press — a publisher
  8. object — an aim
  9. press — to push
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. game — wild animals
  12. pitch — completely
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. object — to protest
  15. rock — music
  16. rest — what's left
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. game — a match
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. object — a thing
  21. swing — in golf
  22. rock — a stone
  23. rest — a break
  24. swing — to play on

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