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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.

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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: firm · bore · present · stand · fan · press · content · drill

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. present — the time now
  3. firm — steady
  4. press — to push
  5. firm — decided
  6. drill — a practice
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. firm — a company
  9. bore — to tire
  10. content — happy
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. present — a gift
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. press — newspapers
  16. drill — army training
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. content — the amount
  19. stand — to bear
  20. present — there
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. bore — to drill
  23. press — a publisher
  24. drill — the tool

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