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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: pop · rest · temple · season · prune · pitch · chip · press

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. prune — to trim
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. pop — music
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. press — newspapers
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. season — in sport
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. press — a publisher
  13. pop — soda
  14. press — to push
  15. rest — a break
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. chip — for betting
  19. prune — to trim
  20. pop — to visit
  21. season — of the year
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. rest — what's left
  24. chip — to eat

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