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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: season · pitch · nail · suit · press · toast · tear · roll

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. pitch — completely
  3. press — to push
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. suit — clothes
  6. suit — in cards
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. tear — from crying
  11. press — a publisher
  12. roll — a cake
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. press — newspapers
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. tear — from crying
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. tear — to rip
  20. season — in sport
  21. suit — to fit
  22. roll — a list
  23. toast — bread
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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