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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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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: bass · rock · ruler · content · file · rash · press · fan

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. content — happy
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. content — the amount
  6. press — newspapers
  7. file — a tool
  8. press — a publisher
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bass — low music
  11. bass — the fish
  12. file — a document
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rock — music
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. rock — a stone
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. press — to push
  20. rash — a series
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. file — a line of people
  24. rock — to move gently

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