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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 116 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 got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. press — newspapers
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. march — the month
  8. march — music
  9. fork — in a road
  10. charge — a price
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. fine — all right
  13. march — the month
  14. stem — to come from
  15. rule — a law
  16. lean — to bend
  17. press — to push
  18. fine — high quality
  19. charge — electricity
  20. charge — in control
  21. press — a publisher
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. rule — government
  24. lean — thin

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