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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. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. degree — an amount
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. lie — to recline
  5. press — a publisher
  6. press — to push
  7. file — a line of people
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. degree — temperature
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. file — a tool
  15. press — newspapers
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. rock — a stone
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. game — wild animals
  20. rock — music
  21. game — a match
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. degree — from a university

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