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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. club — a group
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. fine — high quality
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. press — newspapers
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. key — for a lock
  10. club — for dancing
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. press — to push
  16. key — the most important part
  17. scale — size or range
  18. scale — in music
  19. fine — all right
  20. club — for golf
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. key — in music
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. stand — to bear

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