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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: press · pitch · bore · staff · date · arm · pass · stock

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pitch — completely
  4. bore — to tire
  5. staff — a stick
  6. press — newspapers
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bore — to drill
  10. stock — shares
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. press — to push
  17. stock — goods
  18. press — a publisher
  19. staff — employees
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. date — the fruit

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