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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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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: race · racket · wave · charge · bay · bowl · plane · press

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. charge — electricity
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. plane — a tool
  9. press — newspapers
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. race — a contest
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. charge — in control
  17. press — to push
  18. race — the arms race
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. press — a publisher
  21. charge — a price
  22. race — humankind
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. plane — an aircraft

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