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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: suit · file · scale · mine · press · leaves · wave · row

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. press — a publisher
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. scale — in music
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. suit — to fit
  9. file — a line of people
  10. scale — size or range
  11. mine — for digging
  12. row — to paddle
  13. file — a document
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. row — a line
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. press — to push
  19. file — a tool
  20. suit — clothes
  21. press — newspapers
  22. suit — in cards
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. wave — of the sea

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