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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. pitch — completely
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. pit — in a race
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. mug — a face
  10. hand — help
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. mug — a cup
  13. mug — to rob
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. hand — in cards
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. press — newspapers
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pit — a hole
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. press — to push

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