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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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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. present — there
  3. content — happy
  4. present — a gift
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. press — to push
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. content — the amount
  9. press — newspapers
  10. suit — to fit
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. stand — to bear
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. suit — in cards
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. mark — a trace
  17. wake — a trail
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. suit — clothes
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mine — for digging
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. press — a publisher

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