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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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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: rock · pass · toast · craft · press · arm · capital · stand

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. press — newspapers
  3. rock — a stone
  4. craft — boats
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. press — to push
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. rock — music
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. toast — bread
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. craft — a skill
  14. capital — a city
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. pass — a permit
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. capital — money

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