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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  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. bowl — a football final
  2. rule — government
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. rash — a series
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. press — to push
  7. charge — in control
  8. charge — electricity
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. rash — hasty
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. court — of a king
  15. charge — a price
  16. court — of law
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. court — for sport
  19. press — a publisher
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. press — newspapers
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. rule — to rule out
  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