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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 116 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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. press — to push
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. pitch — completely
  7. bass — the fish
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. charge — in control
  11. bass — low music
  12. ball — a dance
  13. game — wild animals
  14. charge — electricity
  15. stand — to bear
  16. press — a publisher
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. charge — a price
  19. press — newspapers
  20. ball — a great time
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. game — a match
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. game — a kind of play

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