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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. press — newspapers
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — a tin
  7. chair — a leader
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. ball — a dance
  12. last — finally
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. ball — a great time
  15. press — a publisher
  16. date — the fruit
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. can — to be able to
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. last — final
  21. last — to go on
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. press — to push
  24. ball — a round shape

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