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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. press — to push
  3. season — in sport
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. dip — to sink
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. scale — size or range
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. scale — in music
  13. season — of the year
  14. press — a publisher
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. perch — the fish
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. press — newspapers
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. dip — a sauce

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