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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. press — a publisher
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. file — a document
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. rash — a series
  9. file — a line of people
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. stem — to come from
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. rash — hasty
  15. press — newspapers
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. press — to push
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. file — a tool
  20. pit — in a race
  21. foot — a measure
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. pit — a hole
  24. ruler — for measuring

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