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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: wave · pitch · foot · deal · press · mug · mate · spell

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. mate — a partner
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. mate — to breed
  5. spell — letters
  6. spell — magic
  7. press — a publisher
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. press — newspapers
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. press — to push
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. mug — a face
  16. spell — a short time
  17. mate — a friend
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. mug — to rob
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. mug — a cup
  23. pitch — completely
  24. foot — a measure

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