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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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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: wave · arm · craft · toast · firm · press

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. press — a publisher
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. firm — decided
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. craft — a skill
  10. toast — bread
  11. press — newspapers
  12. craft — boats
  13. firm — a company
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. firm — steady
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. toast — the most admired

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