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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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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: mug · file · wind · hand · press · firm · foot · stick

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. hand — in cards
  3. firm — a company
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. wind — moving air
  8. wind — moving air
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. firm — steady
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. mug — to rob
  13. hand — help
  14. press — a publisher
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. press — to push
  17. file — a line of people
  18. mug — a cup
  19. press — newspapers
  20. firm — decided
  21. mug — a face
  22. foot — a measure
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. file — a tool

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