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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.

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: pass · press · tear · saw · net · pitcher · band · perch

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. band — a ring
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. band — a music group
  5. perch — the fish
  6. net — in sport
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. press — newspapers
  10. tear — to rip
  11. press — a publisher
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. saw — the tool
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. net — for catching
  16. press — to push
  17. net — after costs
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. tear — from crying
  21. tear — from crying
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. pass — a permit

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