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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: date · wave · press · swing · toast · season · cabinet · cap

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. press — to push
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. swing — music
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. date — the fruit
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. cap — of ice
  12. swing — in golf
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. season — of the year
  16. press — newspapers
  17. cap — a hat
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. swing — to play on
  21. toast — bread
  22. press — a publisher
  23. cap — a lid
  24. season — in sport

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