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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: pitcher · bat · press · suit · stand · jam · arm · file

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. suit — to fit
  3. press — newspapers
  4. suit — clothes
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. file — a tool
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. press — to push
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. file — a document
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bat — the animal
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. suit — in cards
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. file — a line of people
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. press — a publisher

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