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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. ball — a great time
  4. rash — a series
  5. pitch — completely
  6. tube — a container
  7. staff — a stick
  8. band — a music group
  9. press — newspapers
  10. press — a publisher
  11. can — a tin
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. can — to be able to
  14. staff — employees
  15. band — a ring
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. rash — hasty
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. tube — the underground
  20. press — to push
  21. can — a tin
  22. staff — employees
  23. ball — a dance
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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