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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. cap — a hat
  4. degree — an amount
  5. press — a publisher
  6. cap — of ice
  7. press — newspapers
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. pound — a weight
  12. pitch — completely
  13. saw — the tool
  14. press — to push
  15. snap — to click
  16. degree — temperature
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. degree — from a university
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. cap — a lid
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. pass — a permit

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