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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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  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. branch — of a tree
  3. rest — what's left
  4. chip — to eat
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. branch — a division
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. pound — a weight
  14. pitch — completely
  15. rest — what's left
  16. wound — an injury
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. rush — hurry
  19. press — newspapers
  20. press — to push
  21. chip — for betting
  22. wound — an injury
  23. rest — a break
  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