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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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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: pop · safe · rest · straw · pass · press · scale · pitch

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. pop — music
  3. scale — in music
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. pop — soda
  6. press — a publisher
  7. scale — size or range
  8. pitch — completely
  9. press — to push
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. rest — a break
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. press — newspapers
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. rest — what's left
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. rest — what's left
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. pop — to visit

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