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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.

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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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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. file — a line of people
  4. fine — high quality
  5. press — newspapers
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. press — to push
  8. file — a document
  9. toast — bread
  10. stock — shares
  11. fine — all right
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. rest — what's left
  15. bank — for money
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stock — goods
  18. rest — a break
  19. bank — for money
  20. file — a tool
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. press — a publisher
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. bank — of a river

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