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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
468
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: tube · cabinet · mate · press · file · pit · march · track

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mate — a partner
  3. file — a document
  4. press — a publisher
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. march — the month
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. march — music
  9. pit — a hole
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. track — a song
  12. file — a line of people
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. march — the month
  15. press — newspapers
  16. pit — in a race
  17. tube — the underground
  18. track — to keep track
  19. press — to push
  20. file — a tool
  21. tube — a container
  22. track — a path
  23. mate — a friend
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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