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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. firm — steady
  4. wake — a trail
  5. firm — a company
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. wound — an injury
  9. bulb — for light
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bulb — for light
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. shower — rain
  15. lean — to bend
  16. wound — an injury
  17. press — newspapers
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. shower — to wash
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. press — to push
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. lean — thin
  24. press — a publisher

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