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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. press — newspapers
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. season — of the year
  5. season — in sport
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. roll — a cake
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. sharp — clever
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. press — to push
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. press — a publisher
  15. roll — a list
  16. toast — bread
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. current — happening now
  20. tube — a container
  21. current — of water
  22. tube — the underground
  23. current — electric
  24. toast — the most admired

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