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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. pit — in a race
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ground — crushed
  5. ground — the earth
  6. rest — a break
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. rest — what's left
  10. ground — a position
  11. press — newspapers
  12. tube — the underground
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. pit — a hole
  15. rest — what's left
  16. pitch — completely
  17. press — a publisher
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. tube — a container
  21. press — to push
  22. ball — a great time
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. tube — in a tire

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