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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: fine · pass · land · stick · lean · hand · present · press

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. lean — thin
  3. hand — in cards
  4. present — the time now
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pass — a permit
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. press — a publisher
  10. land — a country
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. present — there
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. fine — high quality
  15. press — to push
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. fine — all right
  18. press — newspapers
  19. land — ground
  20. present — a gift
  21. lean — to bend
  22. land — to come down
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. pass — to succeed

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