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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bass — low music
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. bass — the fish
  7. band — a music group
  8. firm — decided
  9. firm — a company
  10. press — newspapers
  11. capital — money
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. press — a publisher
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. band — a ring
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. capital — a city
  19. firm — steady
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. press — to push
  24. bass — the instrument

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