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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. file — a tool
  4. pop — music
  5. charge — in control
  6. key — the most important part
  7. cell — in biology
  8. file — a line of people
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. key — for a lock
  11. file — a document
  12. pop — soda
  13. pit — in a race
  14. press — to push
  15. press — newspapers
  16. press — a publisher
  17. charge — a price
  18. pop — to visit
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. charge — electricity
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. cell — a phone
  23. pit — a hole
  24. fan — to cool the air

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