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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  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. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. press — a publisher
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. current — of water
  6. press — to push
  7. current — happening now
  8. squash — to crush
  9. squash — the sport
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. court — of a king
  12. ground — a position
  13. ground — crushed
  14. current — electric
  15. court — for sport
  16. press — newspapers
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. pitch — completely
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. ground — the earth
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. court — of law
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. racket — a loud noise

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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