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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 120 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.

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: press · stem · wave · bat · racket · pitcher · board · lean

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. bat — the animal
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. lean — thin
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. board — to get on
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. press — newspapers
  16. board — a committee
  17. stem — to come from
  18. lean — to bend
  19. press — a publisher
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. press — to push

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