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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. band — a ring
  3. bank — for money
  4. press — to push
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. press — a publisher
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bank — for money
  11. content — the amount
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. scale — size or range
  16. firm — steady
  17. firm — a company
  18. press — newspapers
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. scale — in music
  21. content — happy
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. firm — decided
  24. band — a music group

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