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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: pit · staff · net · press · kid · last · saw · land

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. last — to go on
  3. press — newspapers
  4. net — for catching
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. kid — to tease
  7. last — finally
  8. kid — child
  9. staff — a stick
  10. land — a country
  11. land — to come down
  12. land — ground
  13. staff — employees
  14. pit — a hole
  15. last — final
  16. press — a publisher
  17. net — in sport
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. saw — the tool
  20. staff — employees
  21. press — to push
  22. net — after costs
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. saw — the tool

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