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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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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: drill · bass · stand · mug · firm · saw · chip · press

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. bass — low music
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. press — to push
  5. drill — a practice
  6. drill — army training
  7. press — a publisher
  8. stand — to bear
  9. bass — the fish
  10. firm — a company
  11. chip — to eat
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. saw — the tool
  14. mug — to rob
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. drill — the tool
  19. mug — a face
  20. press — newspapers
  21. mug — a cup
  22. firm — steady
  23. chip — for betting
  24. firm — decided

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