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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 · firm · bay · press · clip · stand

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. press — newspapers
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. clip — for paper
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. firm — steady
  7. firm — decided
  8. press — to push
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. firm — a company
  12. press — a publisher
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. clip — a video

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