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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: racket · snap · press · hand · board · arm · bowl · object

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. hand — help
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. object — a thing
  6. press — to push
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. object — to protest
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. press — newspapers
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. board — to get on
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. snap — to click
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. board — a committee
  19. press — a publisher
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. hand — in cards
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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