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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. press — a publisher
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. can — a tin
  7. land — to come down
  8. swing — in golf
  9. bear — the animal
  10. spring — a coil
  11. spring — of water
  12. swing — music
  13. land — ground
  14. press — newspapers
  15. mug — a face
  16. land — a country
  17. can — a tin
  18. bear — the animal
  19. swing — to play on
  20. press — to push
  21. can — to be able to
  22. pitch — completely
  23. mug — a cup
  24. mug — to rob

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