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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. rash — hasty
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. bass — low music
  5. rule — government
  6. rule — a law
  7. wound — an injury
  8. rash — a series
  9. press — to push
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. press — newspapers
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. stand — to bear
  20. rush — hurry
  21. wound — an injury
  22. press — a publisher
  23. bass — the fish
  24. stand — for spectators

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