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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.

Make a worksheet

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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. track — a path
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. track — to keep track
  5. press — newspapers
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. press — to push
  8. track — a song
  9. bass — the fish
  10. face — to point toward
  11. file — a line of people
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. press — a publisher
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. face — part of the head
  18. bass — low music
  19. face — to confront
  20. file — a tool
  21. mine — for digging
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. bass — the instrument

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