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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. press — newspapers
  4. last — final
  5. rule — government
  6. key — in music
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. last — finally
  9. last — to go on
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. snap — to click
  13. rule — a law
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. press — to push
  17. key — for a lock
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. key — the most important part
  21. press — a publisher
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. leaves — of a tree

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