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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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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 · fork · press · mouse · board · pit · squash · patient

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. squash — the sport
  4. pit — in a race
  5. press — newspapers
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. board — a committee
  8. press — a publisher
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. squash — to crush
  15. board — to get on
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. fork — in a road
  21. pit — a hole
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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