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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. rest — what's left
  3. suit — in cards
  4. file — a document
  5. fork — in a road
  6. lie — to recline
  7. drill — a practice
  8. root — of a word
  9. suit — to fit
  10. root — the cause
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. suit — clothes
  13. press — a publisher
  14. file — a tool
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. drill — the tool
  17. root — of a plant
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rest — what's left
  20. drill — army training
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. file — a line of people
  23. press — to push
  24. press — newspapers

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