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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: nail · mug · chip · rush · pitch · stand · bore · press

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. mug — to rob
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. press — a publisher
  5. press — to push
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. rush — hurry
  9. chip — for betting
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. press — newspapers
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stand — to bear
  16. mug — a cup
  17. pitch — completely
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bore — to tire
  22. mug — a face
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. chip — to eat

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