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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: rock · stem · press · stand · temple · last · craft · pitch

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. stand — to bear
  6. last — to go on
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. rock — music
  11. pitch — completely
  12. press — newspapers
  13. last — final
  14. press — a publisher
  15. press — to push
  16. rock — a stone
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. stem — to come from
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. last — finally
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. craft — a skill
  24. craft — boats

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