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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. roll — a list
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. suit — clothes
  5. rest — what's left
  6. suit — in cards
  7. mark — a grade
  8. rest — what's left
  9. file — a document
  10. date — the fruit
  11. suit — to fit
  12. mark — a trace
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. press — a publisher
  15. press — to push
  16. press — newspapers
  17. file — a line of people
  18. roll — a cake
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bass — low music
  21. file — a tool
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. rest — a break
  24. bass — the instrument

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