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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. pit — a hole
  3. rash — hasty
  4. fine — high quality
  5. file — a document
  6. press — a publisher
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pit — in a race
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. mug — to rob
  12. press — to push
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. file — a tool
  15. fine — all right
  16. mug — a cup
  17. file — a line of people
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. cold — not warm
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. mug — a face
  23. cold — an illness
  24. rash — a series

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