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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. present — there
  4. file — a tool
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. present — a gift
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. key — in music
  10. key — for a lock
  11. press — newspapers
  12. press — a publisher
  13. key — the most important part
  14. present — the time now
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. press — to push
  17. firm — steady
  18. rock — music
  19. band — a music group
  20. firm — decided
  21. band — a ring
  22. firm — a company
  23. rock — a stone
  24. file — a document

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