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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: swing · pop · court · can · wax · press · chip · squash

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. court — of law
  3. wax — to grow
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. press — a publisher
  7. can — a tin
  8. swing — music
  9. swing — to play on
  10. pop — soda
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. court — for sport
  13. chip — for betting
  14. press — to push
  15. can — a tin
  16. squash — the sport
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. chip — to eat
  19. can — to be able to
  20. press — newspapers
  21. swing — in golf
  22. pop — to visit
  23. pop — music
  24. squash — to crush

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