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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: suit · stock · content · hand · key · pass · saw · press

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. key — for a lock
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. hand — in cards
  6. content — happy
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. press — a publisher
  9. pass — a permit
  10. stock — goods
  11. press — newspapers
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. hand — help
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. suit — to fit
  16. key — in music
  17. key — the most important part
  18. content — the amount
  19. press — to push
  20. suit — clothes
  21. stock — shares
  22. suit — in cards
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — 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