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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. court — of a king
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bulb — for light
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. court — of law
  7. press — to push
  8. race — humankind
  9. board — to get on
  10. rule — government
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. rule — a law
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. race — a contest
  17. bulb — for light
  18. press — a publisher
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. race — the arms race
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. board — a committee
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. court — for sport

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