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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. content — happy
  3. file — a document
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. saw — the tool
  6. rash — a series
  7. rock — music
  8. rock — a stone
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. file — a line of people
  15. press — a publisher
  16. content — the amount
  17. rash — hasty
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. press — to push
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. file — a tool
  22. press — newspapers
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fan — a supporter

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