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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: bore · pitcher · stick · cap · spring · safe · press · band

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. cap — a hat
  4. spring — the season
  5. spring — of water
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. band — a music group
  9. cap — a lid
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. press — newspapers
  14. bore — to drill
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. cap — of ice
  17. spring — a coil
  18. press — to push
  19. band — a ring
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. press — a publisher
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bore — gave birth

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