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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. pass — a permit
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. press — to push
  12. cue — for pool
  13. toast — bread
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. hand — in cards
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. press — newspapers
  19. cue — a signal
  20. hand — help
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. press — a publisher
  24. toast — the most admired

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