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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. press — newspapers
  4. pop — soda
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. press — to push
  8. pop — to visit
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. cell — in biology
  12. chip — for betting
  13. press — a publisher
  14. spring — a coil
  15. pop — music
  16. chip — to eat
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. present — a gift
  20. spring — the season
  21. present — there
  22. spring — of water
  23. present — the time now
  24. cell — a phone

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