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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: bear · bank · press · field · pitch · bore · season · tube

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. field — a subject
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bore — to drill
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. bank — for money
  7. tube — the underground
  8. press — newspapers
  9. field — farmland
  10. tube — a container
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. bank — for money
  13. press — to push
  14. season — in sport
  15. season — of the year
  16. pitch — completely
  17. bank — of a river
  18. press — a publisher
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bear — the animal
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. pitch — a sports field

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