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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 116 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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. prune — to trim
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. press — newspapers
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. prune — to trim
  9. press — to push
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cue — for pool
  13. row — to paddle
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. fork — in a road
  16. cell — in biology
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. cell — a phone
  20. press — a publisher
  21. cue — a hint
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. row — a line
  24. mouse — the animal

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