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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. file — a tool
  4. firm — decided
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. press — a publisher
  7. file — a line of people
  8. staff — employees
  9. press — newspapers
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. firm — steady
  12. file — a document
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. drill — the tool
  17. staff — a stick
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. firm — a company
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. press — to push
  22. drill — a practice
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. drill — army training

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