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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.

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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: pitch · stand · bound · press · ball · plane · mine · tube

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  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. ball — a round shape
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. tube — the underground
  4. press — newspapers
  5. bound — certain
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. ball — a great time
  8. mine — for digging
  9. bound — obliged
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. pitch — completely
  12. plane — a tool
  13. tube — a container
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. ball — a dance
  19. stand — to bear
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. bound — tied together
  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