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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. ball — a great time
  6. press — newspapers
  7. sharp — clever
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. press — a publisher
  10. bulb — for light
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. rush — hurry
  14. bulb — for light
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. ball — a dance
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. press — to push
  19. rule — a law
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. rule — government
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. rush — a thrill

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