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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: spring · press · lie · pass · racket · arm · lean · pitch

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. lean — thin
  3. lean — to bend
  4. press — newspapers
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. pass — a permit
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. spring — a coil
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. lie — to recline
  13. press — a publisher
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. spring — of water
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. press — to push
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. spring — the season
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. lie — an untruth

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