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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: deal · cue · press · object · wind · last · kid · safe

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. object — to protest
  3. cue — a signal
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. last — final
  6. last — to go on
  7. wind — moving air
  8. cue — for pool
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. kid — to tease
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. last — finally
  13. press — to push
  14. object — an aim
  15. kid — child
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. object — a thing
  19. press — a publisher
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. deal — to handle
  23. wind — moving air
  24. cue — a hint

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