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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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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. race — a contest
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. press — newspapers
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. press — a publisher
  7. race — the arms race
  8. lie — to recline
  9. drill — army training
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. spring — of water
  12. pitch — completely
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. race — humankind
  15. spring — a coil
  16. season — in sport
  17. spring — the season
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. drill — a practice
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. press — to push
  22. season — of the year
  23. drill — the tool
  24. racket — a loud noise

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