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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. press — newspapers
  3. file — a document
  4. net — in sport
  5. track — a song
  6. track — to keep track
  7. press — to push
  8. net — for catching
  9. file — a line of people
  10. pit — in a race
  11. press — a publisher
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. scale — in music
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. scale — size or range
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. mine — for digging
  20. file — a tool
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. track — a path
  23. net — after costs
  24. mine — an explosive

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