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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: rash · pitch · press · wind · ruler · roll

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. pitch — completely
  3. rash — a series
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. wind — moving air
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. press — to push
  11. wind — moving air
  12. roll — a cake
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. press — newspapers
  15. rash — hasty
  16. press — a publisher
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. roll — on a roll

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