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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rule — a law
  4. key — the most important part
  5. mate — a friend
  6. net — in sport
  7. can — a tin
  8. cue — a hint
  9. press — a publisher
  10. bass — low music
  11. net — for catching
  12. net — after costs
  13. can — to be able to
  14. press — to push
  15. press — newspapers
  16. key — for a lock
  17. key — in music
  18. can — a tin
  19. cue — a signal
  20. rule — government
  21. cue — for pool
  22. mate — to breed
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. mate — a partner

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