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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. fine — all right
  3. charge — in control
  4. lean — thin
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. press — newspapers
  7. press — to push
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. press — a publisher
  10. charge — a price
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. pitch — completely
  16. fine — high quality
  17. charge — electricity
  18. wave — a sudden rise

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