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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. suit — to fit
  3. press — to push
  4. file — a tool
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. rest — a break
  7. rest — what's left
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. file — a line of people
  10. rest — what's left
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. press — newspapers
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. fork — in a road
  15. file — a document
  16. press — a publisher
  17. club — for golf
  18. club — for dancing
  19. suit — clothes
  20. stem — to come from
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. saw — the tool
  23. suit — in cards
  24. club — a 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