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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: lash · march · arm · pass · press · mine · safe · scale

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. press — newspapers
  5. scale — size or range
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. scale — in music
  8. march — the month
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. march — the month
  17. press — to push
  18. press — a publisher
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. mine — for digging
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. march — music
  24. arm — a part of something

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