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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.

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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. pitch — completely
  4. drill — the tool
  5. band — a music group
  6. drill — a practice
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. bank — of a river
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. pop — soda
  12. lie — to recline
  13. press — newspapers
  14. bank — for money
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. band — a ring
  17. press — a publisher
  18. pop — to visit
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. drill — army training
  21. bank — for money
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. band — a rubber band
  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