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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. pitch — completely
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. wax — to grow
  7. file — a line of people
  8. file — a document
  9. clip — to cut
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. clip — a video
  12. fine — high quality
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. file — a tool
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. press — newspapers
  18. press — a publisher
  19. clip — for paper
  20. press — to push
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. fine — all right

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