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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: deal · rest · lie · press · game · racket · ball · club

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. ball — a great time
  4. lie — to recline
  5. press — to push
  6. club — a group
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. game — a match
  9. press — newspapers
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. game — wild animals
  13. club — for dancing
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. deal — to handle
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. rest — what's left
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. ball — a dance
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. rest — what's left
  22. club — for golf
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. press — a publisher

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