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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. tube — a container
  3. club — for golf
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. sharp — clever
  6. rock — music
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. press — newspapers
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. press — a publisher
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. club — a group
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. press — to push
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. rule — government
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. club — for dancing
  23. tube — the underground
  24. pitch — completely

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