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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: stand · straw · press · lash · bore · wave · firm · court

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. press — newspapers
  4. stand — to bear
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. firm — decided
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. press — a publisher
  10. firm — steady
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. court — of law
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. bore — to drill
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. court — for sport
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. court — of a king
  20. firm — a company
  21. bore — to tire
  22. press — to push
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. stand — on your feet

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