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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.

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: squash · bat · fine · file · foot · pass · court · press

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. press — newspapers
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. bat — the animal
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. court — of law
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. court — of a king
  9. squash — the sport
  10. file — a tool
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. file — a document
  13. press — to push
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. squash — to crush
  16. fine — all right
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pass — a permit
  19. fine — high quality
  20. press — a publisher
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. court — for sport
  23. file — a line of people
  24. pass — to succeed

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