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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. rule — a law
  3. press — newspapers
  4. degree — temperature
  5. net — in sport
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. pit — in a race
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. press — to push
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. net — after costs
  13. court — of a king
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. pit — a hole
  16. court — of law
  17. degree — from a university
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. rule — government
  20. degree — an amount
  21. court — for sport
  22. rush — hurry
  23. press — a publisher
  24. calf — a young animal

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