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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: chest · press · stand · kid · sharp · craft · can · suit

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. press — newspapers
  4. suit — clothes
  5. craft — boats
  6. chest — of your body
  7. can — to be able to
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. kid — to tease
  10. press — a publisher
  11. kid — child
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. craft — a skill
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. chest — of your body
  16. chest — a box
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. suit — in cards
  19. stand — to bear
  20. can — a tin
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. sharp — clever
  23. press — to push
  24. can — a tin

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