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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. wake — a trail
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. press — newspapers
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. press — to push
  9. stand — to bear
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. branch — a division
  22. press — a publisher
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. pass — a permit

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