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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: safe · prune · press · band · present · kick · craft · mate

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. press — newspapers
  3. mate — a friend
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. press — to push
  10. band — a music group
  11. present — the time now
  12. present — there
  13. press — a publisher
  14. prune — to trim
  15. craft — boats
  16. mate — a partner
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. kick — in football
  19. prune — to trim
  20. band — a ring
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. present — a gift
  23. craft — a skill
  24. mate — to breed

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