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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: saw · craft · cue · press · pitch · face · season · lash

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. cue — a signal
  3. craft — boats
  4. saw — the tool
  5. season — of the year
  6. press — a publisher
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. season — in sport
  11. face — part of the head
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. craft — a skill
  14. face — to confront
  15. cue — for pool
  16. saw — the tool
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. cue — a hint
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. press — to push
  22. press — newspapers
  23. face — to point toward
  24. pitch — completely

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