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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. wound — an injury
  4. press — newspapers
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. charge — a price
  7. hand — in cards
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. staff — employees
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. press — to push
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. prune — to trim
  14. wound — an injury
  15. prune — to trim
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. staff — employees
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. hand — help
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. charge — electricity
  22. staff — a stick
  23. press — a publisher
  24. charge — in control

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