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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. press — newspapers
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. mate — a partner
  5. squash — the sport
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. last — final
  8. rule — government
  9. mate — a friend
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. squash — to crush
  12. drill — the tool
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. press — to push
  17. drill — army training
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. press — a publisher
  20. chair — a leader
  21. last — finally
  22. rule — a law
  23. mate — to breed
  24. drill — a practice

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