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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rule — a law
  4. key — the most important part
  5. press — newspapers
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. club — a group
  8. staff — a stick
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. row — a line
  11. key — in music
  12. key — for a lock
  13. row — to paddle
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. club — for dancing
  16. press — to push
  17. rule — government
  18. staff — employees
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. press — a publisher
  21. club — for golf
  22. staff — employees
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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