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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rule — government
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. mug — a face
  5. rule — a law
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. fine — all right
  8. mug — to rob
  9. press — to push
  10. cue — a hint
  11. band — a ring
  12. cue — for pool
  13. game — wild animals
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — to trim
  17. band — a music group
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. cue — a signal
  20. press — a publisher
  21. mug — a cup
  22. press — newspapers
  23. fine — high quality
  24. game — a match

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