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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: foot · rash · land · fine · swing · press · chair · rock

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. land — a country
  4. land — to come down
  5. swing — to play on
  6. swing — in golf
  7. fine — all right
  8. swing — music
  9. press — a publisher
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rock — music
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. land — ground
  14. rash — hasty
  15. chair — a leader
  16. press — to push
  17. fine — high quality
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. foot — a measure
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. press — newspapers
  22. rock — a stone
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. chair — a professorship

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