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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: suit · cabinet · stock · mouse · march · pass · rest · press

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. march — the month
  4. march — music
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. stock — shares
  7. suit — to fit
  8. pass — a permit
  9. press — to push
  10. march — the month
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. suit — clothes
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. rest — what's left
  17. press — newspapers
  18. rest — what's left
  19. suit — in cards
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. stock — goods
  23. rest — a break
  24. cabinet — ministers

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