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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: racket · plane · scale · rash · press · toast · bound · dip

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. scale — in music
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. bound — certain
  7. rash — hasty
  8. plane — a tool
  9. press — to push
  10. toast — bread
  11. bound — obliged
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. press — a publisher
  17. scale — size or range
  18. bound — tied together
  19. dip — to sink
  20. rash — a series
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. press — newspapers
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. scale — for weighing

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