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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
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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: tear · mate · pitch · cue · ground · press · scale · current

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. ground — the earth
  3. cue — a signal
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. pitch — completely
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. current — happening now
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. scale — in music
  10. cue — a hint
  11. mate — a friend
  12. scale — size or range
  13. tear — to rip
  14. tear — from crying
  15. cue — for pool
  16. ground — a position
  17. mate — a partner
  18. current — electric
  19. press — newspapers
  20. tear — from crying
  21. ground — crushed
  22. current — of water
  23. press — a publisher
  24. mate — to breed

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