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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: file · stem · rush · hand · press · content · cabinet · last

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. press — a publisher
  3. content — the amount
  4. file — a tool
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. hand — in cards
  7. content — happy
  8. file — a document
  9. press — newspapers
  10. stem — to come from
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. last — final
  13. rush — hurry
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. hand — help
  17. file — a line of people
  18. last — finally
  19. last — to go on
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. press — to push

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