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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cold · suit · plane · stand · press · staff · content · craft

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. suit — clothes
  4. press — to push
  5. cold — not warm
  6. press — a publisher
  7. suit — in cards
  8. staff — employees
  9. content — happy
  10. craft — boats
  11. press — newspapers
  12. stand — to bear
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. content — the amount
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. suit — to fit
  18. staff — a stick
  19. cold — an illness
  20. plane — a tool
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. staff — employees
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. craft — a handicraft

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