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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 · jam · rule · coach · pitch · object · nail · track

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. rule — government
  3. object — a thing
  4. rule — a law
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. press — a publisher
  8. press — newspapers
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. object — to protest
  16. track — a song
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. track — a path
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. track — to keep track
  22. object — an aim
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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