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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: file · cue · pitch · leaves · march · press · craft · pitcher

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. cue — a signal
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. craft — a skill
  5. cue — for pool
  6. press — newspapers
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. press — to push
  11. file — a document
  12. cue — a hint
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. march — music
  16. file — a line of people
  17. craft — boats
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. file — a tool
  20. pitch — completely
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. press — a publisher
  23. march — the month
  24. march — the month

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