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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. scale — in music
  3. ground — crushed
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. firm — decided
  6. press — to push
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. scale — size or range
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. firm — a company
  12. ground — a position
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. bank — of a river
  15. press — a publisher
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. press — newspapers
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. ground — the earth
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — for money
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. firm — steady
  24. hide — animal skin

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