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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. drill — army training
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. bank — for money
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. press — to push
  8. bank — for money
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. track — a path
  11. snap — to click
  12. game — wild animals
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. game — a match
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. press — a publisher
  17. drill — the tool
  18. bank — of a river
  19. track — to keep track
  20. date — the fruit
  21. drill — a practice
  22. track — a song
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. racket — for tennis

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