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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. press — newspapers
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. prune — to trim
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. firm — decided
  7. press — a publisher
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. press — to push
  10. dip — to sink
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. firm — steady
  17. mine — for digging
  18. bat — the animal
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. firm — a company
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. prune — to trim
  24. mark — a grade

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