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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: press · pass · game · lean · cue · capital · stick · stand

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. lean — thin
  5. press — a publisher
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. press — to push
  8. game — a match
  9. game — wild animals
  10. capital — a city
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. press — newspapers
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. cue — for pool
  17. cue — a hint
  18. lean — to bend
  19. stand — to bear
  20. capital — money
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. cue — a signal

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