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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. file — a tool
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. file — a document
  6. chair — a leader
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. fork — in a road
  10. row — to paddle
  11. ball — a dance
  12. press — a publisher
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. row — a line
  15. press — newspapers
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. file — a line of people
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. press — to push

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