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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. file — a tool
  3. press — to push
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. saw — the tool
  6. staff — employees
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. saw — the tool
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. press — a publisher
  15. file — a line of people
  16. staff — a stick
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. press — newspapers
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. kick — in football
  21. staff — employees
  22. rush — hurry
  23. wake — a trail
  24. calf — a young animal

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