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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: game · jam · press · fork · roll · mug · pitch · pass

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. roll — a list
  3. game — wild animals
  4. press — a publisher
  5. pass — a permit
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. press — to push
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. mug — a cup
  13. roll — a cake
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. pitch — completely
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. press — newspapers
  18. fork — in a road
  19. mug — a face
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. game — a match
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. mug — to rob

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