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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: lean · mark · rock · coach · mine · press · pitch · bass

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. pitch — completely
  5. rock — music
  6. press — to push
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. press — newspapers
  9. lean — thin
  10. bass — the fish
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. press — a publisher
  17. mine — for digging
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. bass — low music
  21. lean — to bend
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. mark — a grade

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