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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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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 · pass · racket · tear · present · stick · safe · pitcher

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. press — a publisher
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. tear — from crying
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. present — there
  12. tear — to rip
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. press — to push
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. press — newspapers
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. present — the time now
  21. present — a gift
  22. tear — from crying
  23. pass — a permit
  24. safe — out of danger

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