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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: stick · date · safe · press · lean · bowl · temple · mine

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. press — newspapers
  3. mine — for digging
  4. press — to push
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. date — the fruit
  7. lean — thin
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. lean — to bend
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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