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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: saw · safe · wave · chair · band · spell · sharp · press

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. press — newspapers
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. sharp — clever
  5. spell — letters
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. chair — a leader
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. saw — the tool
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. band — a music group
  12. spell — magic
  13. press — to push
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. band — a ring
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. saw — the tool
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. spell — a short time

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