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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 120 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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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 · safe · race · game · present · drill · cap · rest

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — what's left
  3. game — a match
  4. present — a gift
  5. cap — a lid
  6. press — newspapers
  7. drill — a practice
  8. press — to push
  9. drill — the tool
  10. cap — a hat
  11. present — there
  12. drill — army training
  13. rest — a break
  14. press — a publisher
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. present — the time now
  17. race — the arms race
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. game — wild animals
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. race — humankind
  23. race — a contest
  24. cap — of ice

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