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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: press · bowl · stick · deal · pitch · foot

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. press — a publisher
  3. press — newspapers
  4. pitch — completely
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. press — to push
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. deal — to handle
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. foot — part of the body

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