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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: deal · present · press · pitch · sharp · ruler · saw · lie

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. saw — the tool
  3. pitch — completely
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. press — a publisher
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. present — there
  8. lie — to recline
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. present — the time now
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. present — a gift
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. press — to push
  18. deal — to handle
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. saw — the tool
  21. press — newspapers
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. sharp — clever

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