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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: kid · press · safe · coach · can · mug · present · date

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  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. date — on the calendar
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. present — a gift
  5. can — a tin
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. present — the time now
  8. kid — to tease
  9. date — the fruit
  10. press — a publisher
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mug — a face
  13. press — to push
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — to be able to
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. mug — to rob
  18. present — there
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. press — newspapers
  21. kid — child
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. mug — a cup
  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