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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 120 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: scale · staff · file · bear · press · rest · stem · rock

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. staff — employees
  4. rock — music
  5. stem — to come from
  6. rest — what's left
  7. press — newspapers
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. rest — a break
  10. press — to push
  11. rest — what's left
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. file — a document
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. staff — employees
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bear — the animal
  18. scale — in music
  19. press — a publisher
  20. scale — size or range
  21. staff — a stick
  22. bear — the animal
  23. rock — a stone
  24. file — a line of people

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