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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. press — newspapers
  6. press — to push
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. object — an aim
  9. rule — government
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. cell — in biology
  13. press — a publisher
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. rule — a law
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. object — a thing
  18. object — to protest

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