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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: safe · ruler · land · present · cabinet · degree · deal · press

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. present — a gift
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. degree — from a university
  6. land — to come down
  7. deal — to handle
  8. degree — an amount
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. present — the time now
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. press — a publisher
  15. land — a country
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. land — ground
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. present — there
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. press — newspapers
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. degree — temperature
  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