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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 120 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: band · squash · can · bank · swing · drill · stock · press

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. drill — army training
  3. swing — in golf
  4. squash — to crush
  5. can — a tin
  6. bank — for money
  7. stock — shares
  8. swing — music
  9. stock — goods
  10. bank — for money
  11. press — to push
  12. band — a music group
  13. can — to be able to
  14. swing — to play on
  15. bank — of a river
  16. can — a tin
  17. band — a ring
  18. drill — the tool
  19. press — newspapers
  20. press — a publisher
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. drill — a practice
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. squash — the 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