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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. rule — a law
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. press — to push
  14. club — for golf
  15. wound — an injury
  16. press — newspapers
  17. club — a group
  18. press — a publisher
  19. club — for dancing
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. rule — government
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. pitcher — a jug

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