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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. press — a publisher
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. suit — clothes
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. bear — the animal
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. press — to push
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. suit — to fit
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. press — newspapers
  20. kid — child
  21. bark — to shout
  22. suit — in cards
  23. kid — to tease
  24. rule — a law

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