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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 116 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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468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. can — a tin
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. swing — in golf
  6. kid — to tease
  7. game — a match
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. game — wild animals
  12. swing — music
  13. kid — child
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — the fish
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. can — to be able to
  18. press — a publisher
  19. press — to push
  20. can — a tin
  21. season — of the year
  22. season — in sport
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. swing — to play on

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