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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: stick · drill · firm · safe · last · march · press · chair

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  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. stick — a piece of wood
  2. firm — a company
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. march — the month
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. march — music
  8. press — newspapers
  9. drill — a practice
  10. chair — a leader
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. march — the month
  13. firm — steady
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. press — to push
  16. drill — army training
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. last — finally
  19. drill — the tool
  20. last — to go on
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. firm — decided
  23. press — a publisher
  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