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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 120 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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. file — a line of people
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. press — to push
  7. key — in music
  8. degree — an amount
  9. file — a tool
  10. pass — a permit
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. degree — temperature
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. press — newspapers
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. key — for a lock
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. ball — a great time
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. ball — a dance
  21. degree — from a university
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. press — a publisher
  24. key — the most important part

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