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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: press · pitch · cell · row · object · board · face · firm

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. firm — decided
  3. cell — in biology
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. object — a thing
  8. face — part of the head
  9. board — a committee
  10. press — to push
  11. press — newspapers
  12. face — to point toward
  13. object — an aim
  14. row — a line
  15. face — to confront
  16. board — to get on
  17. firm — a company
  18. row — to paddle
  19. cell — a phone
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. object — to protest
  22. firm — steady
  23. press — a publisher
  24. row — a quarrel

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