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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.

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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
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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: press · craft · mine · pitch · mark · calf · suit · leaves

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. suit — in cards
  5. craft — boats
  6. craft — a skill
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. pitch — completely
  11. press — newspapers
  12. suit — to fit
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. mine — for digging
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. press — to push
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mark — a trace
  21. suit — clothes
  22. press — a publisher
  23. mark — a grade
  24. leaves — of a tree

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