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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 116 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: bass · lie · march · firm · safe · mine · content · press

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. lie — to recline
  3. press — newspapers
  4. press — to push
  5. march — the month
  6. content — happy
  7. bass — low music
  8. bass — the fish
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. press — a publisher
  13. mine — for digging
  14. march — music
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. firm — steady
  19. march — the month
  20. firm — decided
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. firm — a company
  24. content — the amount

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