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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. roll — a list
  3. mark — a trace
  4. pitch — completely
  5. bound — certain
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bound — obliged
  10. shower — to wash
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. press — a publisher
  14. press — to push
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. roll — a cake
  17. shower — rain
  18. press — newspapers
  19. mark — a grade
  20. rock — music
  21. rock — a stone
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. bound — tied together

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