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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 116 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: race · can · pitcher · present · deal · press · track · bore

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. present — the time now
  3. can — a tin
  4. press — a publisher
  5. present — there
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. bore — to tire
  8. race — humankind
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. present — a gift
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. press — newspapers
  13. can — to be able to
  14. press — to push
  15. deal — to handle
  16. race — a contest
  17. track — a path
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. track — a song
  20. bore — to drill
  21. race — the arms race
  22. track — to keep track
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. pitcher — a jug

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