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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 120 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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. press — to push
  3. game — wild animals
  4. mug — a face
  5. press — newspapers
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bass — the fish
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. game — a match
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. pitch — completely
  16. bass — low music
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. sharp — clever
  20. press — a publisher
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. mug — to rob
  24. stand — for spectators

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