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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 116 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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. drill — a practice
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. root — the cause
  5. chip — to eat
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. press — to push
  9. drill — the tool
  10. file — a tool
  11. press — newspapers
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. root — of a plant
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. drill — army training
  16. file — a line of people
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. chip — for betting
  19. file — a document
  20. root — of a word
  21. mine — for digging
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. ruler — for measuring

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