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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. press — to push
  3. pop — to visit
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. cell — a phone
  7. cell — in biology
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. rest — what's left
  10. pop — soda
  11. pop — music
  12. firm — decided
  13. file — a document
  14. firm — a company
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. press — a publisher
  17. press — newspapers
  18. file — a tool
  19. rock — music
  20. rest — what's left
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. rock — a stone
  23. firm — steady
  24. rest — a break

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