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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 116 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: mate · lash · bark · last · bay · chip · file · press

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. chip — for betting
  3. mate — to breed
  4. bark — to shout
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. mate — a friend
  7. mate — a partner
  8. last — final
  9. press — a publisher
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. file — a line of people
  12. press — newspapers
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. press — to push
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. last — finally
  18. chip — to eat
  19. file — a document
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. last — to go on
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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