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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. press — newspapers
  3. march — the month
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. rush — hurry
  7. land — to come down
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. land — a country
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. march — music
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. shower — to wash
  16. shower — rain
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. land — ground
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. press — to push
  21. march — the month
  22. pitch — completely
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. press — a publisher

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