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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.

Make a worksheet

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: saw · press · mouse · bear · temple · fine · racket · scale

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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. fine — high quality
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. press — a publisher
  7. press — newspapers
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. scale — in music
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. bear — the animal
  13. fine — all right
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. scale — size or range
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — the tool
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. bear — the animal
  24. fine — a penalty

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