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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. cue — a hint
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. press — newspapers
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. cue — for pool
  7. march — music
  8. cue — a signal
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. march — the month
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. track — to keep track
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. hand — in cards
  17. track — a path
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. track — a song
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. march — the month
  22. press — to push
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. hand — help

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