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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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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 · lean · mouse · game · wave · press · rush · wound

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. wound — an injury
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. press — a publisher
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. press — newspapers
  14. lean — thin
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. rush — hurry
  17. press — to push
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. lean — to bend
  21. game — a match
  22. wound — an injury
  23. game — wild animals
  24. stand — to bear

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