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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bound — obliged
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. ground — crushed
  6. content — the amount
  7. press — newspapers
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bound — tied together
  10. shower — rain
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. press — a publisher
  13. ground — a position
  14. file — a line of people
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. press — to push
  17. bound — certain
  18. ground — the earth
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. file — a tool
  21. shower — to wash
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. content — happy
  24. patient — a sick person

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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