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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: wax · hand · press · rule · suit · arm · fine · file

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. suit — clothes
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. fine — all right
  8. file — a document
  9. press — a publisher
  10. rule — a law
  11. file — a tool
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. suit — to fit
  14. rule — government
  15. file — a line of people
  16. press — to push
  17. suit — in cards
  18. fine — high quality
  19. wax — to grow
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. hand — help
  24. hand — in cards

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