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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. pitch — completely
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. press — a publisher
  6. squash — the sport
  7. object — to protest
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. face — to point toward
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. face — part of the head
  13. squash — to crush
  14. object — an aim
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. press — newspapers
  17. bound — certain
  18. dip — to sink
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. face — to confront
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. object — a thing
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bound — tied together

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