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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 124 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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. file — a line of people
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. present — there
  6. craft — a skill
  7. craft — boats
  8. file — a tool
  9. deal — to handle
  10. pit — a hole
  11. file — a document
  12. press — newspapers
  13. pit — in a race
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. present — the time now
  16. scale — in music
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. press — a publisher
  22. present — a gift
  23. scale — size or range
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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