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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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Word bank
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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 sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. press — newspapers
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. kid — child
  6. toast — bread
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a dance
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. wind — moving air
  12. wind — moving air
  13. kid — to tease
  14. press — a publisher
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. spring — a coil
  17. wake — a trail
  18. spring — of water
  19. press — to push
  20. spring — the season
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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