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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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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: bound · march · stand · swing · bass · capital · press · safe

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. bound — tied together
  3. march — music
  4. bound — obliged
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. swing — to play on
  7. bound — certain
  8. bass — low music
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. march — the month
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. capital — money
  14. press — newspapers
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. stand — to bear
  17. march — the month
  18. press — to push
  19. capital — a city
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. bass — the fish
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. swing — music
  24. press — a publisher

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