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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 116 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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. saw — the tool
  4. press — to push
  5. fall — to drop
  6. pitch — completely
  7. fall — to drop
  8. cap — of ice
  9. mug — a face
  10. mug — to rob
  11. object — an aim
  12. press — a publisher
  13. pass — a permit
  14. cap — a lid
  15. object — to protest
  16. object — a thing
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. mug — a cup
  19. fall — the season
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. cap — a hat
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. press — newspapers

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