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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: charge · firm · racket · lash · press · chair · bore · suit

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. suit — to fit
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. charge — a price
  6. firm — steady
  7. bore — to tire
  8. suit — in cards
  9. firm — a company
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. press — newspapers
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. chair — a leader
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. press — a publisher
  16. charge — electricity
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. firm — decided
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. charge — in control
  23. suit — clothes
  24. bore — to drill

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