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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. mug — a face
  3. squash — to crush
  4. press — a publisher
  5. lean — thin
  6. net — after costs
  7. mug — to rob
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. file — a document
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. file — a line of people
  14. content — happy
  15. content — the amount
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. press — to push
  18. net — for catching
  19. mug — a cup
  20. squash — the sport
  21. file — a tool
  22. net — in sport
  23. lean — to bend
  24. squash — the vegetable

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