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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: stick · wind · pitcher · foot · mug · press · racket · deal

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. wind — moving air
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. mug — a cup
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. press — to push
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. foot — a measure
  17. press — a publisher
  18. wind — moving air
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. mug — to rob
  22. deal — to handle
  23. press — newspapers
  24. mug — a face

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