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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  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. rush — a thrill
  2. can — to be able to
  3. file — a tool
  4. charge — electricity
  5. rock — a stone
  6. press — a publisher
  7. can — a tin
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. can — a tin
  11. rock — music
  12. press — newspapers
  13. press — to push
  14. charge — in control
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. hand — help
  18. hand — in cards
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. charge — a price
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. file — a line of people
  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