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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 116 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: stick · present · suit · rest · lean · stand · nail · press

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. press — to push
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. present — the time now
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. suit — clothes
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. rest — a break
  12. present — there
  13. press — a publisher
  14. present — a gift
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. suit — to fit
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — what's left
  22. press — newspapers
  23. lean — thin
  24. lean — to bend

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