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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. press — newspapers
  4. stand — to bear
  5. press — to push
  6. wound — an injury
  7. cell — a phone
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. bat — the animal
  12. cell — in biology
  13. bass — low music
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. press — a publisher
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. mark — a trace
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. mark — a grade
  24. safe — out of danger

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