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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. press — a publisher
  5. date — the fruit
  6. band — a ring
  7. chip — for betting
  8. band — a music group
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. chip — to eat
  12. object — a thing
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. rule — government
  15. snap — to click
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. mate — a friend
  18. press — to push
  19. object — to protest
  20. press — newspapers
  21. mate — a partner
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. rule — a law
  24. mate — to breed

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