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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
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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: chip · temple · dip · court · press · rush · racket · field

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. 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. chip — for betting
  2. press — newspapers
  3. chip — to eat
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. rush — hurry
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. dip — to sink
  10. court — of a king
  11. field — a subject
  12. press — to push
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. field — farmland
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. field — for sport
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. press — a publisher
  22. court — for sport
  23. court — of law
  24. 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