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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: pit · pass · bass · foot · press · pitch · hand · spring

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. bass — the fish
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. spring — the season
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. spring — of water
  8. spring — a coil
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. hand — help
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pit — a hole
  14. hand — in cards
  15. press — newspapers
  16. pitch — completely
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. press — a publisher
  19. pit — in a race
  20. bass — low music
  21. press — to push
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. foot — a measure

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