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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. press — a publisher
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. press — newspapers
  9. ball — a great time
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. present — a gift
  12. fall — to drop
  13. pitch — completely
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. present — the time now
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. present — there
  18. pass — a permit
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. chair — a leader
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. ball — a dance
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. fall — the season

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