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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 120 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: object · firm · wake · ruler · clip · press · drill · wave

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. press — to push
  3. clip — to cut
  4. firm — steady
  5. press — newspapers
  6. object — to protest
  7. drill — the tool
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. firm — decided
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. firm — a company
  14. object — an aim
  15. object — a thing
  16. wake — a trail
  17. drill — army training
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. press — a publisher
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. drill — a practice
  22. clip — a video
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. clip — for paper

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