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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: ruler · tear · pop · press · pitch · suit

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. suit — in cards
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pop — soda
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. tear — from crying
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. tear — to rip
  11. press — a publisher
  12. press — to push
  13. pop — music
  14. tear — from crying
  15. suit — clothes
  16. press — newspapers
  17. pitch — completely
  18. suit — to fit

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