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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 124 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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. net — after costs
  3. net — in sport
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. ball — a dance
  6. saw — the tool
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. press — a publisher
  10. ball — a great time
  11. file — a tool
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. press — newspapers
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. net — for catching
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. press — to push
  20. file — a line of people
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. saw — the tool

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