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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. firm — a company
  3. firm — steady
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. press — a publisher
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. wound — an injury
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. wound — an injury
  11. pop — music
  12. firm — decided
  13. fine — all right
  14. clip — to cut
  15. fine — high quality
  16. stand — to bear
  17. press — to push
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. pop — soda
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. clip — a video
  22. pop — to visit
  23. press — newspapers
  24. clip — for paper

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