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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 · bowl · band · rash · bass · wake · bear · press

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bass — the fish
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. bass — low music
  8. rash — hasty
  9. band — a music group
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bear — the animal
  13. rash — a series
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. press — to push
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. band — a ring
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. press — a publisher
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. press — newspapers

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