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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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. ground — the earth
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pit — in a race
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. pit — a hole
  7. cue — a signal
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. march — the month
  12. march — music
  13. pitch — completely
  14. press — newspapers
  15. cue — for pool
  16. ground — crushed
  17. ground — a position
  18. march — the month
  19. press — to push
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. cue — a hint
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. press — a publisher

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