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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: bat · trunk · mine · safe · ground · press · rule · rock

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. press — a publisher
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rule — a law
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. ground — crushed
  13. rock — a stone
  14. rock — music
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. press — newspapers
  17. rule — government
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. ground — a position
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bat — the animal
  22. mine — for digging
  23. press — to push
  24. trunk — of a tree

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