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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: press · pitch · deal · race · tube · mouse

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. race — a contest
  3. tube — the underground
  4. press — newspapers
  5. tube — a container
  6. race — humankind
  7. press — to push
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. deal — to handle
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. race — the arms race
  13. pitch — completely
  14. press — a publisher
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mouse — the animal

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