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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: can · pit · rush · deal · bat · press · rash · board

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. rush — hurry
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. bat — the animal
  6. can — a tin
  7. press — a publisher
  8. press — to push
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. rash — a series
  11. board — to get on
  12. can — to be able to
  13. press — newspapers
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. rash — hasty
  16. deal — to handle
  17. board — a committee
  18. pit — a hole
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. pit — in a race

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