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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: lean · racket · fork · coach · press · mate · hide · rash

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. fork — in a road
  3. rash — a series
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. lean — to bend
  7. press — to push
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. press — newspapers
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mate — a friend
  13. press — a publisher
  14. rash — hasty
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. lean — thin
  19. mate — to breed
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. mate — a partner
  24. fork — a garden tool

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