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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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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: bay · last · safe · pass · snap · foot · press · bass

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. last — to go on
  4. pass — a permit
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. bass — low music
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. press — to push
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. last — finally
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. foot — a measure
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. snap — to click
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bass — the fish
  22. press — newspapers
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. last — final

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