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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: shower · firm · can · craft · bass · press · clip · race

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. race — a contest
  3. clip — to cut
  4. clip — a video
  5. shower — rain
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. press — newspapers
  8. firm — steady
  9. shower — to wash
  10. race — the arms race
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. press — a publisher
  14. can — a tin
  15. clip — for paper
  16. craft — a skill
  17. can — a tin
  18. bass — low music
  19. can — to be able to
  20. craft — boats
  21. press — to push
  22. race — humankind
  23. bass — the fish
  24. firm — decided

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