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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: bear · craft · present · press · wave · stand · chest · rock

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. craft — a skill
  3. chest — a box
  4. present — the time now
  5. press — newspapers
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. rock — music
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. present — there
  13. chest — of your body
  14. chest — of your body
  15. stand — to bear
  16. press — a publisher
  17. present — a gift
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. bear — the animal
  20. craft — boats
  21. bear — the animal
  22. rock — a stone
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. press — to push

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