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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 120 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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. stand — to bear
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. swing — music
  5. can — to be able to
  6. can — a tin
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. press — a publisher
  11. swing — to play on
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. rock — a stone
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. can — a tin
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. press — newspapers
  18. rock — music
  19. press — to push
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. swing — in golf
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. racket — a loud noise

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