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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: coach · ball · press · bark · wake · racket · roll · mate

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. press — to push
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. wake — a trail
  5. ball — a dance
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. mate — a partner
  9. ball — a great time
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. roll — a cake
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. bark — to shout
  16. mate — a friend
  17. press — a publisher
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. mate — to breed
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. roll — a list

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