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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.

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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. can — a tin
  3. file — a document
  4. cue — a signal
  5. can — to be able to
  6. scale — in music
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. press — to push
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. cue — for pool
  12. scale — size or range
  13. cue — a hint
  14. stem — to come from
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. can — a tin
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. chip — to eat
  20. press — a publisher
  21. chip — for betting
  22. press — newspapers
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. file — a tool

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