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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: squash · coach · ruler · present · pitch · bowl · patient · press

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. present — a gift
  3. pitch — completely
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. present — the time now
  6. press — a publisher
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. press — to push
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. squash — the sport
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. press — newspapers
  22. present — there
  23. squash — to crush
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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