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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.

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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: foot · track · tear · bowl · press · stand · pass · present

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. track — to keep track
  4. stand — to bear
  5. present — a gift
  6. foot — a measure
  7. present — there
  8. track — a song
  9. track — a path
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. press — newspapers
  12. tear — from crying
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. press — to push
  19. present — the time now
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. tear — from crying
  22. press — a publisher
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. tear — to rip

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