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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stand · bay · nail · straw · firm · stem · band · wave

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. firm — a company
  4. firm — steady
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stem — to come from
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. firm — decided
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. band — a ring
  18. stand — to bear
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. band — a music group
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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