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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. pitch — completely
  4. can — to be able to
  5. press — newspapers
  6. press — to push
  7. press — a publisher
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. kid — to tease
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. can — a tin
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. kid — child
  15. can — a tin
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. fork — in a road
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. deal — to handle
  24. pitcher — a jug

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