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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 put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. shower — rain
  3. press — newspapers
  4. root — of a plant
  5. charge — a price
  6. press — a publisher
  7. charge — in control
  8. rule — government
  9. drill — army training
  10. press — to push
  11. charge — electricity
  12. wound — an injury
  13. rule — a law
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. root — the cause
  16. wound — an injury
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. root — of a word
  19. drill — a practice
  20. shower — to wash
  21. band — a ring
  22. drill — the tool
  23. band — a music group
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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