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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: chip · saw · press · last · file · mouse · plane · arm

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. plane — a tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. press — newspapers
  8. file — a document
  9. saw — the tool
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. last — final
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. last — to go on
  14. file — a tool
  15. chip — to eat
  16. press — to push
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. chip — for betting
  19. file — a line of people
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. last — finally
  24. mouse — 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