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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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. rash — on the skin
  4. rash — hasty
  5. lie — to recline
  6. plane — a tool
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. press — to push
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. rule — government
  13. rash — a series
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. cold — an illness
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. last — final
  18. last — finally
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. cold — not warm
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. rule — a law
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. press — a publisher

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