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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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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. bass — the fish
  4. key — in music
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stand — to bear
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. press — a publisher
  11. mark — a grade
  12. press — to push
  13. bass — low music
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. key — for a lock
  16. key — the most important part
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. kid — to tease
  20. kid — child
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. mark — a trace
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. press — newspapers

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