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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. press — a publisher
  3. file — a document
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. firm — decided
  7. file — a line of people
  8. row — to paddle
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. press — newspapers
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. row — a line
  13. rash — hasty
  14. firm — a company
  15. rash — a series
  16. firm — steady
  17. bark — to shout
  18. press — to push
  19. file — a tool
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. pass — a permit
  24. bark — of a tree

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