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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: suit · mark · mate · mug · wound · calf · pitch · press

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. mug — to rob
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. mate — to breed
  5. wound — an injury
  6. pitch — completely
  7. mark — a trace
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. mate — a friend
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mate — a partner
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. press — newspapers
  15. suit — clothes
  16. suit — in cards
  17. mark — a grade
  18. press — a publisher
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. wound — an injury
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. suit — to fit
  23. mug — a cup
  24. press — to push

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