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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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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: object · wave · cue · racket · press · stock · pound · wound

  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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  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. press — a publisher
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cue — a signal
  5. wound — an injury
  6. press — newspapers
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. object — an aim
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. press — to push
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. object — to protest
  14. stock — goods
  15. pound — a weight
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. object — a thing
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. wound — an injury
  22. stock — shares
  23. cue — for pool
  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