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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.

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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 · pit · rule · squash · press · pass · snap · march

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. rule — a law
  3. file — a line of people
  4. snap — to click
  5. march — the month
  6. march — the month
  7. rule — government
  8. file — a document
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pass — a permit
  13. squash — the sport
  14. pit — in a race
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. press — a publisher
  19. file — a tool
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. pit — a hole
  22. press — to push
  23. march — music
  24. squash — to crush

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