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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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. file — a document
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. stem — to come from
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. press — newspapers
  8. press — to push
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. rule — government
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. bass — low music
  13. scale — in music
  14. file — a line of people
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. scale — size or range
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. file — a tool
  19. press — a publisher
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. rule — a law
  22. bass — the fish
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. foot — a measure

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