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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 · wound · bass · wave · firm · foot · press · mark

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. wound — an injury
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. press — a publisher
  7. mark — a trace
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. firm — a company
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. foot — a measure
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. press — to push
  16. mark — a grade
  17. press — newspapers
  18. firm — decided
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. firm — steady
  21. stand — to bear
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. bass — low music

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