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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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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. present — the time now
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. mark — a trace
  5. pitch — completely
  6. tear — from crying
  7. charge — a price
  8. press — to push
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. present — there
  12. charge — electricity
  13. present — a gift
  14. press — newspapers
  15. tear — to rip
  16. shower — to wash
  17. charge — in control
  18. tear — from crying
  19. mark — a grade
  20. shower — rain
  21. press — a publisher
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. bowl — a football final

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