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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: pitch · pitcher · mug · rest · chip · press · deal · band

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. press — to push
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. deal — to handle
  5. pitch — completely
  6. rest — a break
  7. chip — to eat
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. press — newspapers
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. mug — to rob
  13. mug — a face
  14. band — a ring
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. band — a music group
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. mug — a cup
  20. rest — what's left
  21. press — a publisher
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. rest — what's left
  24. chip — for betting

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