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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: safe · firm · wave · clip · plane · jam · press · current

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. 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. press — to push
  2. clip — to cut
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. firm — steady
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. firm — a company
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. plane — a tool
  10. current — of water
  11. press — newspapers
  12. current — happening now
  13. clip — for paper
  14. firm — decided
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. press — a publisher
  18. current — electric
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. 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