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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: race · root · press · wound · board · pit · safe · can

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. board — to get on
  4. wound — an injury
  5. can — a tin
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. press — to push
  8. board — a committee
  9. root — the cause
  10. wound — an injury
  11. root — of a plant
  12. pit — in a race
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. pit — a hole
  15. race — a contest
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — to be able to
  18. race — the arms race
  19. root — of a word
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. race — humankind
  23. press — newspapers
  24. safe — a strongbox

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