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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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. file — a tool
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. press — a publisher
  6. band — a ring
  7. scale — size or range
  8. track — a path
  9. file — a document
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. track — to keep track
  12. saw — the tool
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. scale — in music
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. track — a song
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. stem — to come from
  19. press — to push
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. press — newspapers
  22. file — a line of people
  23. saw — the tool
  24. band — a music group

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