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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: racket · deal · wake · firm · rest · press

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. press — newspapers
  4. firm — decided
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — what's left
  7. wake — a trail
  8. rest — a break
  9. firm — steady
  10. firm — a company
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. deal — to handle
  16. press — to push
  17. press — a publisher
  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