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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: bat · lie · file · press · key · pit · fan · fine

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pit — in a race
  5. press — newspapers
  6. key — the most important part
  7. file — a tool
  8. lie — to recline
  9. key — for a lock
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. press — a publisher
  12. file — a line of people
  13. fine — all right
  14. key — in music
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. file — a document
  21. bat — the animal
  22. press — to push
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. fine — high quality

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