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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: racket · safe · press · roll · object · band · craft · face

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. face — to confront
  3. band — a music group
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. press — a publisher
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. press — to push
  8. band — a ring
  9. face — to point toward
  10. craft — boats
  11. object — to protest
  12. press — newspapers
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. object — a thing
  15. roll — a list
  16. face — part of the head
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. object — an aim
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. craft — a skill
  22. roll — a cake
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. craft — a handicraft

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