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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: lie · press · stand · current · last · bass · safe · hand

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. current — of water
  6. stand — to bear
  7. last — final
  8. press — a publisher
  9. last — finally
  10. bass — the fish
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. hand — help
  13. press — newspapers
  14. hand — in cards
  15. current — happening now
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. current — electric
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. press — to push
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bass — low music
  23. lie — to recline
  24. safe — out of danger

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