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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: land · safe · press · game · mug · race · plane · can

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. mug — a face
  4. can — a tin
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. land — to come down
  7. mug — a cup
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. press — to push
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. race — a contest
  12. can — to be able to
  13. land — ground
  14. race — humankind
  15. mug — to rob
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. press — a publisher
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. race — the arms race
  20. game — a match
  21. land — a country
  22. press — newspapers
  23. plane — a tool
  24. can — a tin

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