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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fine — all right
  4. press — a publisher
  5. suit — clothes
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. drill — a practice
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. drill — army training
  10. file — a tool
  11. file — a line of people
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. press — to push
  14. suit — to fit
  15. drill — the tool
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. press — newspapers
  18. fine — high quality
  19. bound — certain
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bat — the animal
  22. file — a document
  23. bound — tied together
  24. bound — obliged

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