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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: press · field · club · pit · suit · racket

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. field — farmland
  3. club — a group
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pit — in a race
  6. press — newspapers
  7. club — for dancing
  8. suit — to fit
  9. press — a publisher
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. suit — clothes
  12. field — for sport
  13. press — to push
  14. field — a subject
  15. pit — a hole
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. suit — in cards
  18. racket — for tennis

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