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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.

Make a worksheet

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: fan · can · pitch · jam · press · march · cell · present

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. present — a gift
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. press — newspapers
  7. pitch — completely
  8. march — the month
  9. can — a tin
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. can — a tin
  13. cell — in biology
  14. present — the time now
  15. press — a publisher
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. present — there
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. march — music
  20. march — the month
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. can — to be able to
  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