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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 120 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 · firm · stand · bulb · suit · pass · land · calf

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. firm — a company
  4. suit — clothes
  5. pass — a permit
  6. firm — decided
  7. suit — to fit
  8. land — ground
  9. firm — steady
  10. bulb — for light
  11. land — a country
  12. suit — in cards
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. press — newspapers
  16. press — a publisher
  17. press — to push
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. land — to come down
  21. bulb — for light
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. calf — of the leg

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