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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  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. firm — steady
  2. object — to protest
  3. track — to keep track
  4. charge — electricity
  5. track — a song
  6. pit — in a race
  7. press — to push
  8. press — a publisher
  9. ball — a dance
  10. firm — decided
  11. file — a tool
  12. object — an aim
  13. charge — a price
  14. charge — in control
  15. file — a line of people
  16. track — a path
  17. file — a document
  18. press — newspapers
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. ball — a great time
  22. object — a thing
  23. ball — a round shape
  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