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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 120 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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. press — a publisher
  3. firm — a company
  4. firm — steady
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. file — a line of people
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. press — newspapers
  10. mug — a cup
  11. firm — decided
  12. press — to push
  13. file — a tool
  14. wound — an injury
  15. mug — a face
  16. wound — an injury
  17. hand — in cards
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. foot — a measure
  21. mine — for digging
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. mug — to rob
  24. hand — help

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