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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — for light
  7. rule — government
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. rule — a law
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. press — a publisher
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. press — to push
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. kick — in football
  18. game — a match
  19. pit — a hole
  20. bore — to tire
  21. pit — in a race
  22. press — newspapers
  23. bore — to drill
  24. game — wild animals

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