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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: plane · board · mate · fall · pass · stock · press · last

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. stock — shares
  3. fall — to drop
  4. press — newspapers
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. board — to get on
  7. fall — the season
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. fall — to drop
  11. mate — a partner
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mate — a friend
  14. last — finally
  15. plane — a tool
  16. last — final
  17. press — a publisher
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. stock — goods
  20. press — to push
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. last — to go on
  23. pass — a permit
  24. stock — a soup base

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