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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. fork — in a road
  3. suit — in cards
  4. file — a document
  5. press — a publisher
  6. saw — the tool
  7. chip — for betting
  8. file — a line of people
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. shower — rain
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. suit — to fit
  15. saw — the tool
  16. press — newspapers
  17. chip — to eat
  18. shower — to wash
  19. board — a committee
  20. press — to push
  21. file — a tool
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. suit — clothes

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