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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. rest — a break
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. mark — a trace
  5. rest — what's left
  6. spring — of water
  7. press — a publisher
  8. press — newspapers
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pitch — completely
  13. root — the cause
  14. root — of a plant
  15. spring — the season
  16. mark — a grade
  17. lie — to recline
  18. root — of a word
  19. rest — what's left
  20. chip — to eat
  21. chip — for betting
  22. spring — a coil
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. press — to push

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