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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 120 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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. press — a publisher
  3. suit — to fit
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. suit — in cards
  8. land — to come down
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. club — for dancing
  11. land — ground
  12. rule — a law
  13. press — newspapers
  14. board — to get on
  15. scale — size or range
  16. rule — government
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. land — a country
  19. pound — a weight
  20. club — a group
  21. suit — clothes
  22. club — for golf
  23. board — a committee
  24. press — to push

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