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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: march · wave · press · bank · stick · pass · stem · rule

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. bank — of a river
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. bank — for money
  7. march — music
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. press — to push
  11. rule — government
  12. bank — for money
  13. rule — a law
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. press — newspapers
  17. march — the month
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. march — the month
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. pass — a permit
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. press — a publisher

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