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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: racket · kick · deal · roll · wake · press · scale · patient

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. kick — in football
  4. scale — size or range
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. press — newspapers
  8. wake — a trail
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. press — to push
  12. deal — to handle
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. press — a publisher
  21. roll — a cake
  22. scale — in music
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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