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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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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: trunk · ground · safe · game · press · fine · rash · key

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. fine — all right
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. press — to push
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. ground — the earth
  12. ground — crushed
  13. key — for a lock
  14. fine — high quality
  15. game — a match
  16. game — wild animals
  17. ground — a position
  18. rash — a series
  19. press — a publisher
  20. key — the most important part
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. key — in music
  24. rash — hasty

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