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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: bound · net · roll · press · pitch · object · date · bore

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. roll — a list
  3. bound — obliged
  4. press — a publisher
  5. press — to push
  6. object — to protest
  7. bore — to tire
  8. date — the fruit
  9. press — newspapers
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. net — after costs
  12. net — in sport
  13. roll — a cake
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. bound — tied together
  16. net — for catching
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. object — an aim
  20. bound — certain
  21. bore — to drill
  22. object — a thing
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. pitch — completely

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