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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. can — a tin
  4. craft — a skill
  5. bore — to tire
  6. can — to be able to
  7. pit — a hole
  8. season — in sport
  9. press — to push
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. press — newspapers
  12. object — to protest
  13. can — a tin
  14. craft — boats
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. pit — in a race
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. press — a publisher
  20. season — of the year
  21. pitch — completely
  22. object — a thing
  23. bore — to drill
  24. season — to add flavour

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