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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · bear · chip · ball · chair · racket

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. ball — a dance
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. press — to push
  10. chip — for betting
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. press — newspapers
  13. chair — a leader
  14. bear — the animal
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. bear — the animal
  17. chip — to eat
  18. press — a publisher

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