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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: clip · toast · stand · fine · press · field · deal · drill

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. fine — all right
  3. toast — bread
  4. field — for sport
  5. press — to push
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. fine — high quality
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. field — farmland
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. press — a publisher
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. clip — to cut
  15. drill — the tool
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. press — newspapers
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. clip — a video
  20. deal — to handle
  21. field — a subject
  22. clip — for paper
  23. stand — to bear
  24. drill — army training

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