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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: wound · nail · coach · stem · lash · staff · firm · press

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. firm — a company
  3. staff — a stick
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. stem — to come from
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. wound — an injury
  8. staff — employees
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. press — to push
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. press — a publisher
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. firm — decided
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. wound — an injury
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. staff — employees
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. firm — steady
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. coach — a trainer

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