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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. season — in sport
  3. press — newspapers
  4. press — a publisher
  5. perch — the fish
  6. season — of the year
  7. press — to push
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. file — a tool
  13. clip — to cut
  14. clip — a video
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. mug — a face
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. file — a line of people
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. mug — a cup
  21. clip — for paper
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. mug — to rob

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