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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. mate — a partner
  3. pitch — completely
  4. press — newspapers
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. press — to push
  7. court — of a king
  8. mate — a friend
  9. ground — a position
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. object — a thing
  13. mate — to breed
  14. court — of law
  15. object — an aim
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. court — for sport
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. ground — the earth
  20. object — to protest
  21. fork — in a road
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. press — a publisher

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