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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 · press · ruler · roll · bound · date · mine · safe

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. mine — for digging
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. present — there
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. press — a publisher
  10. bound — obliged
  11. present — a gift
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. present — the time now
  15. date — the fruit
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bound — tied together
  19. press — newspapers
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. roll — a cake
  22. press — to push
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bound — certain

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