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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: press · kick · lean · pass · stand · bark · dip · pop

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. pass — a permit
  3. press — newspapers
  4. lean — to bend
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. press — to push
  7. lean — thin
  8. stand — to bear
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. dip — to sink
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. press — a publisher
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. pop — to visit
  19. pop — soda
  20. pop — music
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. bark — to shout
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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