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

Word bank: pit · firm · lie · press · present · deal

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. firm — decided
  3. pit — in a race
  4. deal — to handle
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. present — the time now
  9. press — to push
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. present — there
  12. lie — to recline
  13. firm — steady
  14. pit — a hole
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. press — newspapers
  17. present — a gift
  18. press — a publisher

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