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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 120 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: calf · pitch · saw · chair · arm · press · pass · lash

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. saw — the tool
  3. press — a publisher
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. pitch — completely
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. press — newspapers
  13. pass — a permit
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. chair — a leader
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. press — to push
  21. saw — the tool
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. calf — of the leg

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