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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: racket · cabinet · press · stock · club · board · pop · mug

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. mug — a face
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. press — to push
  6. stock — shares
  7. club — for golf
  8. club — a group
  9. board — a committee
  10. club — for dancing
  11. press — newspapers
  12. pop — to visit
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. mug — a cup
  16. stock — goods
  17. board — to get on
  18. mug — to rob
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. pop — soda
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. press — a publisher
  24. racket — for tennis

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