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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 120 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 · leaves · press · chest · mate · dip · race · fan

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. race — the arms race
  8. chest — of your body
  9. chest — a box
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. press — to push
  13. mate — a friend
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. mate — a partner
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. chest — of your body
  18. mate — to breed
  19. race — a contest
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. press — a publisher
  23. race — humankind
  24. press — newspapers

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