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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 120 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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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: club · bay · pit · wake · pitch · snap · lean · press

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. lean — thin
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. club — for dancing
  6. press — a publisher
  7. wake — a trail
  8. press — to push
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pitch — completely
  12. press — newspapers
  13. snap — to click
  14. club — for golf
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. pit — a hole
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. club — a group
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. lean — to bend
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. lean — to rest against

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