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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.

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: mark · chip · press · bowl · squash · drill · racket · march

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. press — newspapers
  3. march — the month
  4. squash — the sport
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. squash — to crush
  7. mark — a trace
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. press — to push
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. drill — a practice
  14. chip — for betting
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. chip — to eat
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. press — a publisher
  19. march — music
  20. mark — a grade
  21. march — the month
  22. drill — army training
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. drill — the tool

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