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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: pitch · bound · present · tube · press · calf · craft · net

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. pitch — completely
  3. present — there
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. tube — the underground
  8. net — in sport
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. bound — certain
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. net — for catching
  13. press — newspapers
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. tube — a container
  16. present — the time now
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. press — a publisher
  19. present — a gift
  20. craft — boats
  21. press — to push
  22. net — after costs
  23. craft — a skill
  24. bound — obliged

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