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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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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: bay · press · mine · sharp · bass · mug · chip · safe

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. press — newspapers
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. mug — a face
  9. chip — for betting
  10. mug — a cup
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. bass — the fish
  13. sharp — clever
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. press — to push
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. chip — to eat
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. mug — to rob
  22. mine — for digging
  23. bass — low music
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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