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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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. net — after costs
  4. object — a thing
  5. rash — a series
  6. rash — hasty
  7. press — a publisher
  8. toast — bread
  9. march — the month
  10. net — for catching
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. net — in sport
  13. march — music
  14. press — newspapers
  15. object — an aim
  16. march — the month
  17. object — to protest
  18. pound — a weight
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. press — to push
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. pitch — completely

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