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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. press — to push
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. wound — an injury
  8. stand — to bear
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. scale — size or range
  11. board — to get on
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. press — newspapers
  16. board — a committee
  17. rest — what's left
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. rest — what's left
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. rest — a break
  22. scale — in music
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. press — a publisher

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