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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: present · suit · row · date · stand · rock · hand · press

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. press — to push
  3. press — a publisher
  4. stand — to bear
  5. press — newspapers
  6. rock — music
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. present — there
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. suit — to fit
  13. hand — help
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. present — the time now
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. suit — in cards
  19. hand — in cards
  20. date — the fruit
  21. suit — clothes
  22. rock — a stone
  23. row — a line
  24. present — a gift

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