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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 116 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: race · can · safe · fan · bear · spell · press · rush

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. spell — a short time
  3. press — a publisher
  4. can — a tin
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. bear — the animal
  7. spell — magic
  8. press — to push
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. race — a contest
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. press — newspapers
  16. spell — letters
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. race — humankind
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. race — the arms race
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. rush — hurry
  24. can — to be able to

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