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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  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. stand — on your feet
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. cue — for pool
  5. stand — to bear
  6. last — final
  7. saw — the tool
  8. press — to push
  9. cue — a hint
  10. press — newspapers
  11. last — to go on
  12. hand — in cards
  13. tear — to rip
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. last — finally
  16. tear — from crying
  17. tear — from crying
  18. hand — help
  19. cue — a signal
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. tube — the underground
  22. tube — a container
  23. saw — the tool
  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