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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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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: pitch · cap · rule · race · can · root · scale · press

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. race — humankind
  3. can — a tin
  4. root — of a word
  5. race — a contest
  6. scale — in music
  7. scale — size or range
  8. pitch — completely
  9. press — newspapers
  10. press — a publisher
  11. race — the arms race
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. press — to push
  14. can — a tin
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. cap — a hat
  17. root — the cause
  18. rule — government
  19. can — to be able to
  20. root — of a plant
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. cap — of ice
  23. cap — a lid
  24. rule — a law

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