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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. press — newspapers
  3. net — for catching
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. dip — to sink
  6. band — a ring
  7. court — of a king
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pop — music
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. band — a music group
  14. stock — shares
  15. net — after costs
  16. court — of law
  17. net — in sport
  18. stock — goods
  19. pop — soda
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pop — to visit
  22. press — a publisher
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. court — for sport

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