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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.

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: safe · press · pitcher · fan · bass · coach · wound · object

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bass — low music
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. object — a thing
  7. bass — the fish
  8. wound — an injury
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. press — a publisher
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. object — to protest
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. press — newspapers
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. wound — an injury
  23. safe — out of danger
  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