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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 124 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

Word bank: saw · press · content · can · lash · safe · bound · season

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. press — to push
  3. bound — certain
  4. press — a publisher
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. season — in sport
  7. can — a tin
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. bound — tied together
  11. press — newspapers
  12. can — a tin
  13. saw — the tool
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. content — happy
  16. bound — obliged
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. saw — the tool
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. can — to be able to
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. content — the amount

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