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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 · date · pass · mark · roll · press · toast · nail

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. toast — bread
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mark — a grade
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. press — to push
  10. roll — a cake
  11. date — the fruit
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. press — newspapers
  18. press — a publisher
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pass — a permit
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. date — on the calendar

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