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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 124 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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. pitch — completely
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. current — electric
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. plane — a tool
  15. press — a publisher
  16. stand — to bear
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. current — of water
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. current — happening now
  24. press — to push

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