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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: bore · can · court · mark · press · pitch · straw · charge

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. can — to be able to
  6. pitch — completely
  7. court — of a king
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. bore — to tire
  10. press — to push
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. court — of law
  13. charge — a price
  14. charge — electricity
  15. can — a tin
  16. mark — a trace
  17. charge — in control
  18. press — newspapers
  19. can — a tin
  20. press — a publisher
  21. bore — to drill
  22. court — for sport
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. mark — a grade

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