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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. object — a thing
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. object — an aim
  5. pitch — completely
  6. press — newspapers
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. drill — army training
  9. shower — rain
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. shower — to wash
  13. rock — music
  14. press — to push
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. rock — a stone
  17. object — to protest
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. drill — a practice
  20. drill — the tool
  21. press — a publisher
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. chair — a leader

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