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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: press · bay · firm · spring · fall · drill · safe · rock

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. firm — steady
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rock — music
  5. spring — the season
  6. firm — decided
  7. fall — to drop
  8. press — newspapers
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. firm — a company
  12. drill — the tool
  13. press — a publisher
  14. fall — to drop
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. drill — a practice
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. spring — of water
  20. press — to push
  21. spring — a coil
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. drill — army training

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