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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: race · row · dip · net · shower · bay · racket · press

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. net — in sport
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. press — newspapers
  5. race — the arms race
  6. row — to paddle
  7. race — humankind
  8. shower — to wash
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. press — a publisher
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. row — a line
  15. race — a contest
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. dip — to sink
  19. net — for catching
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. press — to push
  22. net — after costs
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. shower — rain

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