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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: present · race · safe · pass · shower · stock · tube · press

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. tube — a container
  4. stock — goods
  5. press — to push
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. pass — a permit
  8. race — a contest
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. shower — to wash
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. present — a gift
  13. shower — rain
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. present — the time now
  16. tube — the underground
  17. press — newspapers
  18. present — there
  19. race — the arms race
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. stock — shares
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. press — a publisher

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