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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: jam · racket · wave · ruler · deal · pop · pitcher · press

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. pop — to visit
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. pop — soda
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. press — to push
  16. deal — to handle
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. pop — music
  20. press — a publisher
  21. press — newspapers
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. ruler — for measuring

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