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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 116 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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stand — to bear
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. net — after costs
  7. pass — a permit
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. band — a ring
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. ball — a dance
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. press — newspapers
  17. ball — a great time
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. press — to push
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. net — for catching
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. press — a publisher
  24. band — a music group

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