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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 · hide · press · fine · racket · bowl · cold · key

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. firm — decided
  3. press — newspapers
  4. key — for a lock
  5. press — to push
  6. firm — steady
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. cold — not warm
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. cold — an illness
  16. press — a publisher
  17. fine — all right
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. key — the most important part
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. fine — high quality
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. key — in music

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