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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. press — to push
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. press — a publisher
  6. mate — a friend
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. rule — government
  10. fork — in a road
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. press — newspapers
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. rule — a law
  16. game — a match
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. mate — to breed
  19. game — wild animals
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. toast — bread
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. mate — a partner
  24. safe — out of danger

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