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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. file — a document
  4. object — an aim
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. pound — a weight
  7. rule — a law
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. press — a publisher
  10. file — a line of people
  11. object — a thing
  12. cue — a signal
  13. sharp — clever
  14. cue — a hint
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. file — a tool
  18. object — to protest
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. rule — government
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. press — to push
  23. cue — for pool
  24. press — newspapers

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