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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · cabinet · straw · calf · season · rock · racket · court

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. rock — a stone
  4. season — in sport
  5. season — of the year
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. rock — music
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. court — for sport
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. court — of a king
  14. press — to push
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. press — newspapers
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. press — a publisher
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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