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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. press — newspapers
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. content — the amount
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. date — the fruit
  10. perch — the fish
  11. pitch — completely
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. pop — soda
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. content — happy
  17. can — a tin
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. can — to be able to
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. pop — music
  22. press — to push
  23. press — a publisher
  24. can — a tin

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