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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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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: rest · press · bore · present · file · stem · stand · pass

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. rest — what's left
  3. stem — to come from
  4. rest — a break
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pass — a permit
  8. press — a publisher
  9. present — a gift
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. bore — to drill
  12. file — a line of people
  13. present — there
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. file — a tool
  16. file — a document
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. bore — to tire
  21. press — newspapers
  22. press — to push
  23. rest — what's left
  24. present — the time now

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