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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. press — to push
  4. object — a thing
  5. object — an aim
  6. press — newspapers
  7. press — a publisher
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. pit — a hole
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. season — of the year
  14. pit — in a race
  15. object — to protest
  16. snap — to click
  17. rule — a law
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. perch — the fish
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. season — in sport

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