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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: cabinet · rock · pitcher · deal · pound · press · spring · season

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. spring — the season
  3. rock — a stone
  4. spring — of water
  5. press — to push
  6. press — a publisher
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. rock — music
  9. pound — a weight
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. deal — to handle
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. season — of the year
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. spring — a coil
  18. press — newspapers
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. season — to add flavour

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