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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. press — a publisher
  3. hand — in cards
  4. file — a line of people
  5. bound — obliged
  6. file — a document
  7. spell — magic
  8. bound — tied together
  9. board — a committee
  10. press — newspapers
  11. root — of a plant
  12. spell — letters
  13. spell — a short time
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — to get on
  16. staff — employees
  17. bound — certain
  18. root — the cause
  19. staff — employees
  20. staff — a stick
  21. hand — help
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. press — to push
  24. root — of a word

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