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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. press — to push
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. spring — a coil
  5. cell — a phone
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. press — newspapers
  8. firm — decided
  9. firm — steady
  10. cell — in biology
  11. foot — a measure
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. rash — a series
  15. file — a line of people
  16. file — a tool
  17. spring — the season
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. press — a publisher
  22. rash — hasty
  23. file — a document
  24. firm — a company

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