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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: firm · swing · saw · squash · suit · chip · bulb · press

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. squash — to crush
  3. press — to push
  4. swing — music
  5. press — newspapers
  6. squash — the sport
  7. suit — to fit
  8. firm — decided
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. press — a publisher
  11. saw — the tool
  12. swing — to play on
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — clothes
  15. firm — a company
  16. bulb — for light
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. bulb — for light
  19. swing — in golf
  20. chip — to eat
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. firm — steady
  23. chip — for betting
  24. chip — in a computer

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