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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: pass · toast · fan · court · press · stand · patient · cap

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. press — to push
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. court — of a king
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. press — a publisher
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. cap — a hat
  14. press — newspapers
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. stand — to bear
  17. pass — a permit
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. court — of law
  20. cap — a lid
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. cap — of ice
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. court — for sport

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