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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.

Make a worksheet

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: press · toast · degree · tube · jam · fine · row · file

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. file — a line of people
  3. toast — bread
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. fine — all right
  6. file — a tool
  7. row — to paddle
  8. degree — temperature
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. press — newspapers
  11. file — a document
  12. degree — from a university
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. press — to push
  16. fine — high quality
  17. row — a line
  18. tube — the underground
  19. degree — an amount
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. press — a publisher
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. tube — a container
  24. jam — a tight spot

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