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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. bound — certain
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. press — to push
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. press — a publisher
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. current — of water
  13. bound — tied together
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. current — electric
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. rule — government
  18. stock — goods
  19. bound — obliged
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. stock — shares
  22. current — happening now
  23. press — newspapers
  24. rule — a law

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