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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: bass · land · bore · swing · track · suit · press · lash

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. suit — clothes
  3. press — newspapers
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. press — to push
  6. land — to come down
  7. suit — to fit
  8. track — a path
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bass — low music
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. press — a publisher
  15. swing — to play on
  16. swing — in golf
  17. land — ground
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bore — to tire
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. bore — to drill
  22. track — to keep track
  23. track — a song
  24. land — a country

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