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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 116 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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. row — a line
  3. mug — a face
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. march — the month
  6. press — a publisher
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. rush — hurry
  9. pass — a permit
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. march — music
  14. press — newspapers
  15. mug — to rob
  16. stand — to bear
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. press — to push
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. mug — a cup
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. row — to paddle
  24. stand — for spectators

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