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

Word bank: bank · chair · fork · cabinet · press · racket

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. bank — of a river
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. press — newspapers
  10. press — to push
  11. press — a publisher
  12. chair — a leader
  13. bank — for money
  14. fork — in a road
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. bank — for money
  18. cabinet — ministers

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