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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: swing · arm · press · staff · chip · rash · calf · date

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. chip — to eat
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. press — newspapers
  5. swing — in golf
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. swing — to play on
  8. rash — a series
  9. date — the fruit
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — a stick
  12. press — a publisher
  13. chip — for betting
  14. rash — hasty
  15. staff — employees
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. swing — music
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. arm — a part of something

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