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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: press · chair · fine · dip · hide · last · pass · band

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. press — newspapers
  8. last — to go on
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. dip — to sink
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. band — a ring
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. chair — a leader
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. last — finally
  18. fine — all right
  19. fine — high quality
  20. band — a music group
  21. press — to push
  22. press — a publisher
  23. last — final
  24. pass — a permit

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