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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. press — a publisher
  3. present — there
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. last — finally
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. saw — the tool
  8. file — a line of people
  9. press — to push
  10. present — a gift
  11. last — final
  12. press — newspapers
  13. saw — the tool
  14. lie — to recline
  15. mug — a cup
  16. file — a document
  17. mug — to rob
  18. present — the time now
  19. scale — in music
  20. scale — size or range
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. file — a tool
  23. last — to go on
  24. mug — a face

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