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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: plane · wound · swing · chip · stock · press · cabinet · bear

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. wound — an injury
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. stock — shares
  7. plane — a tool
  8. bear — the animal
  9. swing — music
  10. press — to push
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. chip — to eat
  16. chip — for betting
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. press — newspapers
  19. press — a publisher
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. swing — to play on
  22. bear — the animal
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. stock — goods

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