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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 116 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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. file — a document
  3. bound — certain
  4. saw — the tool
  5. rule — government
  6. bound — tied together
  7. rule — a law
  8. press — a publisher
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bear — the animal
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. key — in music
  14. bear — the animal
  15. press — newspapers
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. file — a line of people
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. bound — obliged
  20. key — for a lock
  21. key — the most important part
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. press — to push
  24. saw — the tool

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