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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: roll · pitcher · press · cue · firm · toast · deal · kick

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. toast — bread
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. cue — a hint
  6. firm — steady
  7. kick — in football
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. deal — to handle
  10. cue — a signal
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. roll — a cake
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. press — newspapers
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. cue — for pool
  20. firm — decided
  21. press — to push
  22. firm — a company
  23. roll — a list
  24. pitcher — a jug

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