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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ruler · foot · press · deal · file · net

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. deal — to handle
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. press — newspapers
  6. net — in sport
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. file — a document
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. net — after costs
  11. file — a line of people
  12. press — a publisher
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. press — to push
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. foot — a measure
  18. file — a 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