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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 120 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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. press — a publisher
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. kick — in football
  6. present — the time now
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. present — a gift
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. tube — a container
  11. present — there
  12. press — newspapers
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. mine — for digging
  19. press — to push
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. tube — the underground
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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