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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: band · wound · can · deal · press · fine · cold · safe

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. press — newspapers
  3. wound — an injury
  4. cold — an illness
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. press — to push
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. can — a tin
  9. deal — to handle
  10. band — a music group
  11. fine — high quality
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. fine — all right
  14. band — a ring
  15. can — to be able to
  16. cold — not warm
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. press — a publisher
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. wound — an injury
  24. cold — the Cold War

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