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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 120 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. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. mug — to rob
  3. bulb — for light
  4. mug — a cup
  5. cap — a hat
  6. cap — a lid
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. land — a country
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. cap — of ice
  15. land — to come down
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. stand — to bear
  18. land — ground
  19. press — to push
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. press — a publisher
  22. bulb — for light
  23. press — newspapers
  24. mug — a face

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