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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: bat · net · spell · pass · squash · press · present · safe

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. present — there
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. squash — to crush
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. press — newspapers
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. present — a gift
  11. net — in sport
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. net — for catching
  14. spell — a short time
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. present — the time now
  17. spell — letters
  18. spell — magic
  19. squash — the sport
  20. net — after costs
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. press — a publisher
  23. press — to push
  24. pass — to spend time

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