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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. hand — help
  4. file — a tool
  5. craft — boats
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. craft — a skill
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. capital — a city
  11. bank — of a river
  12. capital — money
  13. press — newspapers
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — for money
  16. hand — in cards
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. press — to push
  19. press — a publisher
  20. file — a line of people
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. hide — to keep secret

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