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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: firm · press · mouse · nail · racket · stem · mate · row

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. press — newspapers
  3. stem — to come from
  4. press — a publisher
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. firm — a company
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. mate — a friend
  10. row — to paddle
  11. row — a line
  12. mate — a partner
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. press — to push
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. firm — steady
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. firm — decided
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. mate — to breed
  24. stem — of a plant

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