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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.

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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. bear — the animal
  6. press — a publisher
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. track — a song
  10. chair — a leader
  11. press — newspapers
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. track — a path
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. press — to push
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. rush — hurry
  20. stem — to come from
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. track — to keep track

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