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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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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. track — a path
  4. track — to keep track
  5. file — a document
  6. press — a publisher
  7. file — a line of people
  8. charge — a price
  9. file — a tool
  10. charge — electricity
  11. clip — a video
  12. charge — in control
  13. chair — a leader
  14. pass — a permit
  15. clip — to cut
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pit — a hole
  18. press — to push
  19. track — a song
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. clip — for paper
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. pit — in a race
  24. chair — to sit 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