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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. deal — to handle
  4. file — a line of people
  5. press — a publisher
  6. tear — from crying
  7. file — a tool
  8. cue — a signal
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pit — a hole
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. content — the amount
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. press — to push
  16. content — happy
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. tear — to rip
  19. cue — for pool
  20. pit — in a race
  21. tear — from crying
  22. cue — a hint
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. file — a document

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