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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.

Make a worksheet

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: racket · cabinet · chair · row · press · mine · scale · suit

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. press — newspapers
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. press — to push
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. suit — to fit
  13. press — a publisher
  14. row — a line
  15. scale — size or range
  16. scale — in music
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. row — to paddle
  21. suit — clothes
  22. chair — a leader
  23. suit — in cards
  24. racket — a loud noise

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