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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mouse · press · rock · toast · wound · pitcher · chest · racket

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. rock — music
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. wound — an injury
  8. rock — a stone
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. chest — of your body
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. wound — an injury
  16. press — newspapers
  17. press — to push
  18. chest — of your body
  19. chest — a box
  20. press — a publisher
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. toast — bread

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