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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. court — of a king
  6. march — the month
  7. pass — a permit
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. press — to push
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. press — a publisher
  15. court — for sport
  16. march — the month
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. band — a ring
  19. march — music
  20. band — a music group
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. court — of law

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