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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. charge — electricity
  5. land — a country
  6. land — ground
  7. can — to be able to
  8. cue — a signal
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. charge — in control
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. press — to push
  13. pitch — completely
  14. can — a tin
  15. land — to come down
  16. press — newspapers
  17. press — a publisher
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. cue — for pool
  21. cue — a hint
  22. charge — a price
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. can — a tin

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