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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: suit · pound · press · current · pass · straw · pitch · pitcher

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. current — happening now
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. pitch — completely
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. press — a publisher
  14. pound — a weight
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — in cards
  17. press — newspapers
  18. current — of water
  19. current — electric
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. press — to push
  23. suit — clothes
  24. pass — a permit

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