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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
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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: lean · wave · clip · lie · pitch · press · bore · date

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. clip — for paper
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. press — newspapers
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. clip — a video
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. lean — to bend
  13. clip — to cut
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. date — the fruit
  16. bore — to tire
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. lean — thin
  19. pitch — completely
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bore — to drill
  22. lie — to recline
  23. press — to push
  24. press — a publisher

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