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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. date — the fruit
  3. file — a document
  4. press — newspapers
  5. file — a tool
  6. ground — a position
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. press — a publisher
  12. press — to push
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. suit — to fit
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. file — a line of people
  18. suit — in cards
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. ground — crushed
  21. ground — the earth
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. suit — clothes

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