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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: season · press · bay · hide · root · plane · date · pitch

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  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. hide — animal skin
  2. season — in sport
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. root — of a word
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. press — newspapers
  7. root — of a plant
  8. pitch — completely
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. press — a publisher
  14. season — of the year
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. press — to push
  17. plane — a tool
  18. root — the cause
  19. date — the fruit
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. plane — an aircraft
  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