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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 116 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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. press — to push
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. wound — an injury
  9. bank — for money
  10. stock — shares
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. prune — to trim
  13. rush — hurry
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. prune — to trim
  16. wound — an injury
  17. press — a publisher
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. bank — for money
  20. press — newspapers
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. stock — goods
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bank — of a river

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