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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. wound — an injury
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. wind — moving air
  10. press — newspapers
  11. press — to push
  12. wind — moving air
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. press — a publisher
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. cell — a phone
  17. cap — a hat
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. cap — a lid
  20. stand — to bear
  21. wound — an injury
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. cap — of ice
  24. racket — a loud noise

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