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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: press · mug · cue · tube · safe · land · file · content

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. tube — the underground
  3. cue — a hint
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. mug — a cup
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. tube — a container
  8. content — the amount
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. cue — for pool
  11. land — a country
  12. land — to come down
  13. press — a publisher
  14. file — a line of people
  15. cue — a signal
  16. mug — to rob
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. press — newspapers
  19. mug — a face
  20. land — ground
  21. file — a tool
  22. file — a document
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. press — to push

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