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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: game · trunk · fine · nail · pitch · press · suit · deal

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. fine — all right
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pitch — completely
  8. suit — in cards
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. game — a match
  11. game — wild animals
  12. press — a publisher
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. deal — to handle
  16. suit — clothes
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. fine — high quality
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. suit — to fit
  24. press — newspapers

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