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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: face · key · press · date · wind · cue · arm · safe

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. wind — moving air
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. face — to point toward
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. press — a publisher
  10. cue — a hint
  11. face — part of the head
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. wind — moving air
  15. key — in music
  16. press — to push
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. key — the most important part
  20. face — to confront
  21. key — for a lock
  22. cue — for pool
  23. date — the fruit
  24. cue — a signal

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