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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pass · date · pitch · press · field · bass · ruler · ball

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. press — newspapers
  6. press — to push
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. ball — a dance
  13. date — the fruit
  14. pass — a permit
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. field — for sport
  18. bass — low music
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. press — a publisher
  22. bass — the fish
  23. field — a subject
  24. field — farmland

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