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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. shower — to wash
  5. press — to push
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. bulb — for light
  8. press — newspapers
  9. vault — a safe
  10. pitch — completely
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. spell — a short time
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. mate — to breed
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. spell — letters
  17. mate — a friend
  18. press — a publisher
  19. spell — magic
  20. mate — a partner
  21. bulb — for light
  22. shower — rain
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. racket — for tennis

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