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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 116 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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. charge — electricity
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. band — a ring
  7. pop — to visit
  8. staff — employees
  9. pit — in a race
  10. press — to push
  11. rule — a law
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. staff — a stick
  14. press — newspapers
  15. staff — employees
  16. pop — soda
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. press — a publisher
  19. charge — a price
  20. rule — government
  21. pit — a hole
  22. charge — in control
  23. band — a music group
  24. pop — music

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