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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 120 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: row · content · stem · press · leaves · club · pass · pitcher

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. press — newspapers
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. stem — to come from
  5. club — for golf
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. press — to push
  10. row — a line
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. club — for dancing
  14. press — a publisher
  15. content — the amount
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. content — happy
  19. row — to paddle
  20. club — a group
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pass — a permit
  24. content — videos and posts

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