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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: roll · firm · pitch · press · fan · saw · fine · wind

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. firm — decided
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. pitch — completely
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. roll — a list
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. press — a publisher
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. firm — a company
  11. saw — the tool
  12. press — newspapers
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. roll — a cake
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. fine — all right
  20. press — to push
  21. fine — high quality
  22. wind — moving air
  23. firm — steady
  24. saw — the tool

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