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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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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: pass · bulb · kid · press · drill · rest · board · firm

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. rest — what's left
  4. kid — child
  5. firm — decided
  6. press — a publisher
  7. firm — a company
  8. board — to get on
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bulb — for light
  12. drill — a practice
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. drill — the tool
  17. bulb — for light
  18. board — a committee
  19. rest — a break
  20. press — newspapers
  21. pass — a permit
  22. firm — steady
  23. kid — to tease
  24. drill — army training

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