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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: ball · rule · cap · safe · press · jam · hide · rock

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. cap — a lid
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. rock — music
  7. cap — a hat
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. press — to push
  13. press — a publisher
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. rock — a stone
  18. ball — a great time
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rule — government
  21. rule — a law
  22. ball — a dance
  23. cap — of ice
  24. press — newspapers

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