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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 120 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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. bore — to drill
  4. can — to be able to
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. pitch — completely
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. can — a tin
  13. press — newspapers
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. bore — to tire
  16. ground — crushed
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. ground — the earth
  19. ground — a position
  20. press — to push
  21. can — a tin
  22. press — a publisher
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. pitch — a sports field

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