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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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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: fall · season · pound · press · craft · pass · wake · mug

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. craft — a skill
  3. press — a publisher
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. season — of the year
  6. craft — boats
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. fall — the season
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. press — to push
  11. press — newspapers
  12. mug — a cup
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. wake — a trail
  17. mug — a face
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pass — a permit
  21. fall — to drop
  22. season — in sport
  23. fall — to drop
  24. mug — to rob

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