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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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 · press · key · cell · coach · rule · racket

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rule — government
  4. file — a tool
  5. cell — in biology
  6. press — a publisher
  7. press — newspapers
  8. rule — a law
  9. key — the most important part
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. cell — a phone
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. file — a document
  14. mug — a face
  15. press — to push
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. key — in music
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. mug — to rob
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. key — for a lock
  23. file — a line of people
  24. mug — a cup

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