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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: foot · firm · leaves · press · rush · game · racket · drill

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. firm — a company
  3. game — a match
  4. firm — decided
  5. game — wild animals
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. firm — steady
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. press — newspapers
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. press — a publisher
  12. foot — a measure
  13. drill — army training
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. rush — hurry
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. press — to push
  18. drill — the tool
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. drill — a practice
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rush — to hurry

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