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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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. press — to push
  5. sharp — clever
  6. press — newspapers
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. pitch — completely
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. press — a publisher
  13. mug — a face
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. court — of law
  17. mug — a cup
  18. court — for sport
  19. game — wild animals
  20. court — of a king
  21. mug — to rob
  22. game — a match
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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