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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. foot — a measure
  3. press — a publisher
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. press — newspapers
  6. bore — to drill
  7. press — to push
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. file — a document
  10. bore — to tire
  11. rock — music
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. land — to come down
  14. land — a country
  15. file — a tool
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. land — ground
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. branch — a division
  23. mine — for digging
  24. rock — a stone

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