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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. cap — a lid
  3. stand — to bear
  4. wake — a trail
  5. cap — of ice
  6. press — newspapers
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. press — to push
  10. chip — to eat
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. hand — help
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. hand — in cards
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. pitch — completely
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. chip — for betting
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. press — a publisher
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. cap — a hat
  24. chip — in a computer

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