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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: stand · dip · toast · root · press · land · march · band

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. band — a music group
  3. land — a country
  4. root — the cause
  5. march — music
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. press — newspapers
  9. land — to come down
  10. root — of a word
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. march — the month
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. march — the month
  15. press — to push
  16. root — of a plant
  17. stand — to bear
  18. toast — bread
  19. press — a publisher
  20. band — a ring
  21. dip — to sink
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. land — ground
  24. stand — on your feet

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