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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 120 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 ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. file — a line of people
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. last — finally
  6. pit — a hole
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. press — newspapers
  9. press — a publisher
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. saw — the tool
  12. press — to push
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. file — a tool
  16. saw — the tool
  17. last — final
  18. craft — a skill
  19. pit — in a race
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. last — to go on
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. file — a document
  24. craft — boats

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