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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. press — a publisher
  3. tube — a container
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. craft — boats
  7. march — the month
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. tube — the underground
  10. rock — music
  11. press — newspapers
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. press — to push
  15. rock — a stone
  16. stem — to come from
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. march — the month
  21. mark — a trace
  22. march — music
  23. stand — to bear
  24. craft — a skill

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