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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: lean · bay · game · racket · staff · arm · kid · press

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. press — a publisher
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. kid — to tease
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. press — to push
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. game — wild animals
  11. lean — thin
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. staff — employees
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. staff — employees
  20. game — a match
  21. staff — a stick
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. lean — to bend
  24. kid — child

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