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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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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stock — goods
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. press — to push
  6. present — there
  7. press — newspapers
  8. firm — steady
  9. firm — decided
  10. present — the time now
  11. firm — a company
  12. fall — the season
  13. present — a gift
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. fall — to drop
  17. spring — of water
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. press — a publisher
  21. spring — the season
  22. stock — shares
  23. fall — to drop
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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