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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. lean — to bend
  3. swing — to play on
  4. present — the time now
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. press — newspapers
  8. lean — thin
  9. press — to push
  10. press — a publisher
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. cue — for pool
  13. cue — a signal
  14. stem — to come from
  15. present — there
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. cue — a hint
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. swing — in golf
  20. present — a gift
  21. vault — a safe
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. swing — music
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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