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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. file — a tool
  5. staff — a stick
  6. drill — a practice
  7. date — the fruit
  8. press — newspapers
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. rule — a law
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. staff — employees
  15. drill — army training
  16. pitch — completely
  17. press — a publisher
  18. rule — government
  19. file — a document
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. press — to push
  22. drill — the tool
  23. staff — employees
  24. date — on the calendar

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