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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 information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. file — a line of people
  3. fine — all right
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. press — to push
  8. kick — in football
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. file — a tool
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. press — newspapers
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. fine — high quality
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. snap — to click
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. press — a publisher
  22. mine — for digging
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. fine — a penalty

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