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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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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: club · temple · press · bay · lie · toast · pit · file

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  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. club — for golf
  2. press — newspapers
  3. pit — a hole
  4. file — a document
  5. press — a publisher
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. club — a group
  8. toast — bread
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. file — a tool
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. press — to push
  19. pit — in a race
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. lie — to recline
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. club — for dancing
  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