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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 · object · mouse · club · press · spring · perch · current

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. current — happening now
  3. perch — the fish
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. spring — a coil
  6. current — electric
  7. current — of water
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. club — a group
  10. object — an aim
  11. club — for dancing
  12. object — a thing
  13. club — for golf
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. object — to protest
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. swing — in golf
  18. swing — to play on
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. swing — music
  21. spring — of water
  22. press — a publisher
  23. press — newspapers
  24. press — to push

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