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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: season · game · pitch · firm · mouse · fall · pass · press

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. season — of the year
  3. press — a publisher
  4. press — to push
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. press — newspapers
  7. season — in sport
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. game — a match
  11. pass — a permit
  12. fall — the season
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. firm — decided
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. fall — to drop
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. fall — to drop
  19. pitch — completely
  20. firm — a company
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. game — wild animals
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. pass — to spend time

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