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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 120 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 coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. swing — to play on
  4. pitch — completely
  5. foot — a measure
  6. stock — shares
  7. stock — goods
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. rash — hasty
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. root — of a word
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. lean — thin
  14. lean — to bend
  15. press — a publisher
  16. root — of a plant
  17. root — the cause
  18. press — newspapers
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. swing — music
  22. rash — a series
  23. press — to push
  24. rash — on the skin

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