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

Word bank: row · staff · file · snap · present · cue · rule · press

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. row — to paddle
  4. present — there
  5. press — newspapers
  6. cue — a signal
  7. row — a line
  8. press — a publisher
  9. press — to push
  10. staff — employees
  11. file — a line of people
  12. present — the time now
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. cue — a hint
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. file — a document
  17. present — a gift
  18. snap — to click
  19. staff — a stick
  20. cue — for pool
  21. staff — employees
  22. rule — a law
  23. rule — government
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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