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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: present · chip · scale · bear · press · drill · march · safe

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. scale — in music
  3. scale — size or range
  4. chip — for betting
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. drill — army training
  8. press — newspapers
  9. present — the time now
  10. chip — to eat
  11. bear — the animal
  12. drill — the tool
  13. march — music
  14. present — there
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. present — a gift
  18. press — to push
  19. press — a publisher
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. bear — the animal
  22. march — the month
  23. drill — a practice
  24. scale — for weighing

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