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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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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: safe · present · staff · bulb · cell · roll · chip · press

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. roll — a list
  3. staff — employees
  4. cell — a phone
  5. chip — to eat
  6. bulb — for light
  7. staff — a stick
  8. roll — a cake
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. press — newspapers
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. chip — for betting
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. present — there
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bulb — for light
  17. staff — employees
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. press — to push
  20. cell — in biology
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. present — a gift
  24. present — the time now

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