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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: press · safe · date · deal · march · present

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. march — music
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. present — there
  5. present — a gift
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. present — the time now
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. deal — to handle
  10. press — to push
  11. date — the fruit
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. press — a publisher
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. press — newspapers
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. march — the month
  18. date — on the calendar

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