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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: rash · safe · press · nail · bat · cell · present · date

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. cell — a phone
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bat — the animal
  6. press — newspapers
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. press — a publisher
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. present — a gift
  12. present — there
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. date — the fruit
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. rash — a series
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. present — the time now
  23. press — to push
  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