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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
468
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: bank · degree · scale · pitch · press · lean · straw · mouse

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. pitch — completely
  4. bank — of a river
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. lean — thin
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. scale — in music
  10. press — to push
  11. lean — to bend
  12. bank — for money
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. press — newspapers
  16. bank — for money
  17. scale — size or range
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. degree — temperature
  21. degree — an amount
  22. degree — from a university
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. press — a publisher

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