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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 120 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 · pound · current · squash · file · deal · season · press

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. file — a document
  4. current — electric
  5. current — of water
  6. file — a tool
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. season — in sport
  9. season — of the year
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. press — newspapers
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. squash — to crush
  18. press — to push
  19. current — happening now
  20. file — a line of people
  21. pound — a weight
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. deal — to handle
  24. squash — the sport

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