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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: tube · last · hand · cap · tear · toast · safe · press

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. toast — bread
  4. hand — in cards
  5. tube — a container
  6. tear — to rip
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. tube — the underground
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. cap — of ice
  11. last — to go on
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. cap — a hat
  14. press — a publisher
  15. tear — from crying
  16. press — to push
  17. cap — a lid
  18. press — newspapers
  19. last — final
  20. tear — from crying
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. last — finally
  23. hand — help
  24. safe — out of danger

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