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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. press — to push
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mark — a grade
  6. squash — to crush
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. press — newspapers
  13. court — of law
  14. court — for sport
  15. court — of a king
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. squash — the sport
  18. press — a publisher
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. mark — a trace
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. squash — the vegetable

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