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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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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: club · rock · coach · content · bear · prune · press · safe

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. press — to push
  3. bear — the animal
  4. press — newspapers
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. rock — a stone
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. club — a group
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. rock — music
  11. content — the amount
  12. club — for golf
  13. club — for dancing
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. bear — the animal
  16. content — happy
  17. prune — to trim
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. press — a publisher
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. prune — to trim

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