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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: press · wake · staff · firm · leaves · stand · clip · race

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. race — humankind
  3. wake — a trail
  4. stand — to bear
  5. press — a publisher
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. clip — to cut
  8. staff — employees
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. race — a contest
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. press — newspapers
  13. clip — for paper
  14. firm — steady
  15. staff — a stick
  16. staff — employees
  17. firm — decided
  18. press — to push
  19. clip — a video
  20. race — the arms race
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. firm — a company
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. stand — for spectators

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