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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. press — newspapers
  8. file — a document
  9. press — to push
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. board — a committee
  13. press — a publisher
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. file — a line of people
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. board — to get on

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