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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. roll — a list
  3. file — a line of people
  4. file — a tool
  5. press — a publisher
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. press — newspapers
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. rash — hasty
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. roll — a cake
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. press — to push
  15. pitch — completely
  16. rock — a stone
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. file — a document
  23. rock — music
  24. nail — for a hammer

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