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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 116 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: press · wind · racket · cabinet · tube · ruler · leaves · firm

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. wind — moving air
  4. firm — decided
  5. tube — the underground
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. tube — a container
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. wind — moving air
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. press — a publisher
  16. press — to push
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. firm — steady
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. firm — a company
  24. press — newspapers

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