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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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. press — to push
  3. press — newspapers
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. rock — music
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. spring — a coil
  10. spring — the season
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. rule — government
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. pitch — completely
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. wax — to grow
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. spring — of water
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. rule — a law
  22. rock — a stone
  23. press — a publisher
  24. rock — to move gently

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