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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: sharp · press · squash · toast · deal · pitch · fine · march

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. toast — bread
  5. pitch — completely
  6. squash — the sport
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. press — a publisher
  12. press — to push
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. squash — to crush
  15. sharp — clever
  16. press — newspapers
  17. fine — all right
  18. march — music
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. deal — to handle
  22. march — the month
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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