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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: stick · pass · rash · press · ball · mark · pitch · race

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. mark — a trace
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. pitch — completely
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. race — humankind
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. ball — a dance
  14. rash — a series
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. press — to push
  17. race — a contest
  18. pass — a permit
  19. ball — a great time
  20. race — the arms race
  21. rash — hasty
  22. press — a publisher
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. mark — a grade

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