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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 120 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: pass · wave · pound · stand · mouse · press · rule · craft

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. pound — a weight
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. press — to push
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. press — a publisher
  12. pass — a permit
  13. craft — a skill
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. rule — government
  17. craft — boats
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. rule — a law
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. stand — to bear
  24. press — newspapers

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