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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. mug — a cup
  4. lean — to bend
  5. content — the amount
  6. press — to push
  7. press — newspapers
  8. last — finally
  9. bass — the fish
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. lean — thin
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. content — happy
  15. stand — to bear
  16. rash — hasty
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. last — final
  19. last — to go on
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. mug — to rob
  22. rash — a series
  23. bass — low music
  24. mug — a face

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