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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. pitch — completely
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. scale — size or range
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. content — happy
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. field — a subject
  9. field — farmland
  10. field — for sport
  11. press — a publisher
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rock — a stone
  15. charge — a price
  16. scale — in music
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. rock — music
  19. content — the amount
  20. press — newspapers
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. charge — electricity
  24. press — to push

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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