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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: band · mouse · chair · tube · pitcher · pit · press · fine

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. press — to push
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. tube — a container
  9. band — a ring
  10. band — a music group
  11. press — newspapers
  12. tube — the underground
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. chair — a leader
  15. pit — in a race
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pit — a hole
  19. fine — all right
  20. press — a publisher
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. chair — a professorship

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