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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 124 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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. field — a subject
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. press — to push
  5. field — for sport
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — for money
  8. rule — a law
  9. field — farmland
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. press — newspapers
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. cue — a signal
  14. roll — a list
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. bank — of a river
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. rule — government
  19. roll — a cake
  20. press — a publisher
  21. cue — for pool
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. cue — a hint
  24. roll — on a roll

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