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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. scale — size or range
  7. board — to get on
  8. pitch — completely
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. press — to push
  11. scale — in music
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. press — a publisher
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. board — a committee
  21. press — newspapers
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. pound — a weight
  24. date — the fruit

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