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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: pitch · bay · plane · mark · shower · press · nail · wake

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. press — newspapers
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. shower — rain
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. plane — a tool
  14. pitch — completely
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. shower — to wash
  17. mark — a trace
  18. press — to push
  19. press — a publisher
  20. wake — a trail
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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