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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 · racket · craft · jam · deal · march

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. deal — to handle
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. craft — a skill
  8. craft — boats
  9. march — the month
  10. press — to push
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. press — a publisher
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. march — music
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. march — the month

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