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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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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: press · mark · pit · cell · rock · hide · racket · cue

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. mark — a trace
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. cue — a signal
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. cue — for pool
  9. pit — in a race
  10. cue — a hint
  11. press — newspapers
  12. cell — a phone
  13. mark — a grade
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. press — a publisher
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. press — to push
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. rock — music
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. cell — in biology
  24. rock — a stone

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