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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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bat — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. press — a publisher
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. press — to push
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. press — newspapers
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. bulb — for light
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. pitch — completely
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. pitcher — a jug

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