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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. bass — low music
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. press — a publisher
  5. chair — a leader
  6. press — newspapers
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. rule — a law
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. rule — government
  14. suit — in cards
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. suit — clothes
  17. content — happy
  18. rush — hurry
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bass — the fish
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. press — to push
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. content — the amount

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