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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: ground · pitcher · lean · toast · net · bowl · nail · press

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. net — for catching
  4. press — to push
  5. press — newspapers
  6. ground — a position
  7. net — in sport
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. lean — thin
  11. net — after costs
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. ground — crushed
  14. press — a publisher
  15. ground — the earth
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. toast — bread
  24. lean — to bend

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