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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: scale · pitcher · rush · deal · chair · press · leaves · stand

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  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. chair — to sit on
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. press — newspapers
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. scale — size or range
  11. press — to push
  12. rush — hurry
  13. scale — in music
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. deal — to handle
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. stand — to bear
  22. chair — a leader
  23. chair — a professorship
  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