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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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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: racket · charge · kick · press · march · row

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  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. kick — in football
  2. march — music
  3. row — to paddle
  4. march — the month
  5. charge — electricity
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. charge — a price
  8. press — a publisher
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. charge — in control
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. row — a line
  14. march — the month
  15. press — to push
  16. press — newspapers
  17. racket — a loud noise
  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