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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: firm · fan · pitcher · drill · hide · deal · press · content

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. press — newspapers
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. content — the amount
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. deal — to handle
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. drill — a practice
  9. drill — the tool
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. firm — steady
  17. press — a publisher
  18. press — to push
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. content — happy
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. drill — army training
  23. firm — a company
  24. content — videos and posts

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