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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. file — a line of people
  4. track — a path
  5. press — to push
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. saw — the tool
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rash — a series
  11. press — newspapers
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. track — to keep track
  14. file — a document
  15. press — a publisher
  16. saw — the tool
  17. lean — thin
  18. snap — to click
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. lean — to bend
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. track — a song

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