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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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. rash — hasty
  3. pass — a permit
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. press — a publisher
  7. press — newspapers
  8. game — a match
  9. can — a tin
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. lean — to bend
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. pitch — completely
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. press — to push
  19. can — a tin
  20. lean — thin
  21. game — wild animals
  22. can — to be able to
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. lean — to rest against

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