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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. bear — the animal
  4. firm — decided
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bear — the animal
  7. firm — a company
  8. rest — a break
  9. rest — what's left
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. clip — for paper
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. press — newspapers
  16. press — to push
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. suit — in cards
  19. rest — what's left
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. clip — to cut
  22. suit — clothes
  23. clip — a video
  24. firm — steady

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