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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: date · rest · bore · suit · pitch · press · leaves · bay

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — to fit
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. press — a publisher
  10. bore — to drill
  11. date — the fruit
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. suit — in cards
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. rest — what's left
  17. press — newspapers
  18. pitch — completely
  19. rest — a break
  20. rest — what's left
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. press — to push

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