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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. pop — music
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. press — to push
  7. perch — the fish
  8. pop — to visit
  9. drill — a practice
  10. tube — the underground
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. stand — to bear
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. tube — a container
  17. drill — army training
  18. drill — the tool
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. press — a publisher
  22. pop — soda
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. press — newspapers

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