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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. press — a publisher
  4. chip — for betting
  5. ball — a dance
  6. rock — music
  7. chip — to eat
  8. kick — in football
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. ball — a great time
  11. cell — in biology
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. press — newspapers
  14. rock — a stone
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. press — to push
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. deal — to handle
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. cell — a phone

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