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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 still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. press — to push
  5. charge — electricity
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. charge — in control
  8. club — a group
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. court — of law
  11. court — of a king
  12. charge — a price
  13. press — a publisher
  14. press — newspapers
  15. court — for sport
  16. band — a music group
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. club — for dancing
  24. club — for golf

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