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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: press · fan · date · mouse · mine · safe · band · jam

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. mine — for digging
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. press — newspapers
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. press — to push
  15. band — a ring
  16. date — the fruit
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. band — a music group
  19. press — a publisher
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — the animal

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