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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. content — happy
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. stand — to bear
  6. content — the amount
  7. stem — to come from
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. press — newspapers
  10. march — the month
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. wound — an injury
  13. press — a publisher
  14. staff — employees
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. march — music
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. press — to push
  19. pass — a permit
  20. staff — a stick
  21. staff — employees
  22. wound — an injury
  23. march — the month
  24. stem — of a plant

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