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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. land — ground
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. foot — a measure
  7. press — newspapers
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. press — a publisher
  12. press — to push
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. wake — a trail
  15. land — to come down
  16. land — a country
  17. mug — a face
  18. field — a subject
  19. field — farmland
  20. field — for sport
  21. mug — a cup
  22. deal — to handle
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. mug — to rob

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