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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. file — a document
  4. charge — a price
  5. file — a line of people
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. press — a publisher
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. plane — a tool
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. press — newspapers
  13. rest — a break
  14. bear — the animal
  15. charge — electricity
  16. rest — what's left
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bear — the animal
  19. stand — to bear
  20. press — to push
  21. charge — in control
  22. rest — what's left
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. file — a tool

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