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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. net — in sport
  4. press — newspapers
  5. net — for catching
  6. staff — a stick
  7. press — to push
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. staff — employees
  10. stem — to come from
  11. court — of a king
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. net — after costs
  14. staff — employees
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. court — for sport
  20. court — of law
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. wake — a trail
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. press — a publisher

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