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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 116 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: fine · pop · cap · last · firm · file · press · row

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. firm — decided
  4. file — a tool
  5. last — to go on
  6. cap — a lid
  7. cap — of ice
  8. file — a line of people
  9. row — a line
  10. pop — to visit
  11. firm — steady
  12. file — a document
  13. pop — soda
  14. cap — a hat
  15. pop — music
  16. press — newspapers
  17. row — to paddle
  18. firm — a company
  19. last — final
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. last — finally
  22. press — a publisher
  23. press — to push
  24. fine — all right

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