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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. shower — rain
  3. prune — to trim
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. file — a document
  6. file — a tool
  7. prune — to trim
  8. staff — a stick
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. staff — employees
  11. file — a line of people
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. shower — to wash
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. press — to push
  21. band — a music group
  22. press — a publisher
  23. band — a ring
  24. staff — employees

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