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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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. press — to push
  4. pitch — completely
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. prune — to trim
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. branch — a division
  13. fine — all right
  14. fine — high quality
  15. press — newspapers
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. prune — to trim
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. press — a publisher
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. fine — a penalty

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