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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: sharp · hand · pass · wound · bound · press · drill · safe

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. press — a publisher
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. bound — certain
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. hand — help
  10. press — newspapers
  11. drill — the tool
  12. wound — an injury
  13. bound — tied together
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. drill — a practice
  16. wound — an injury
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. sharp — clever
  19. hand — in cards
  20. bound — obliged
  21. drill — army training
  22. pass — a permit
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. press — to push

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