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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
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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: suit · press · tube · lash · snap · rock · hide · stand

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. suit — clothes
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. press — to push
  8. rock — music
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. press — newspapers
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. suit — to fit
  13. rock — a stone
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. press — a publisher
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. tube — a container
  18. snap — to click
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. tube — the underground
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. suit — in cards
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. stand — to bear

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