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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 information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. file — a tool
  5. press — to push
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. spell — a short time
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. rush — hurry
  13. drill — army training
  14. bulb — for light
  15. drill — a practice
  16. press — a publisher
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. file — a line of people
  19. spell — letters
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. spell — magic
  22. press — newspapers
  23. bulb — for light
  24. drill — 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