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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. current — of water
  3. cue — a signal
  4. file — a line of people
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. pit — a hole
  7. press — newspapers
  8. file — a document
  9. cue — for pool
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. chair — a leader
  12. current — happening now
  13. current — electric
  14. pit — in a race
  15. bound — certain
  16. bound — tied together
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bear — the animal
  20. press — a publisher
  21. cue — a hint
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. press — to push
  24. bear — the animal

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