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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.

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: pit · march · suit · content · fine · press · hand · stick

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. press — to push
  3. march — the month
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. suit — clothes
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. hand — in cards
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. press — newspapers
  12. march — the month
  13. press — a publisher
  14. content — happy
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. march — music
  17. pit — in a race
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pit — a hole
  20. content — the amount
  21. fine — high quality
  22. hand — help
  23. suit — in cards
  24. fine — all right

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