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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. rule — a law
  3. press — to push
  4. lean — to bend
  5. mug — a cup
  6. lean — thin
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. rule — government
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. press — a publisher
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stem — to come from
  16. scale — in music
  17. mug — to rob
  18. press — newspapers
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. scale — size or range

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