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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: stem · press · pitch · firm · stand · degree · saw · mouse

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. saw — the tool
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. saw — the tool
  6. degree — temperature
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. firm — steady
  11. press — to push
  12. degree — from a university
  13. firm — decided
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. firm — a company
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pitch — completely
  19. press — a publisher
  20. degree — an amount
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. press — newspapers
  24. stem — to come from

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