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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 ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. drill — the tool
  3. press — to push
  4. pitch — completely
  5. press — newspapers
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. drill — army training
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. drill — a practice
  11. tube — a container
  12. degree — an amount
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. degree — from a university
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. tube — the underground
  17. present — a gift
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. present — the time now
  20. press — a publisher
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. degree — temperature
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. present — there

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