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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. club — a group
  4. club — for golf
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. press — newspapers
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. rule — a law
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. club — for dancing
  11. kid — child
  12. band — a music group
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. kid — to tease
  16. band — a ring
  17. tear — from crying
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. press — a publisher
  20. chair — a leader
  21. tear — to rip
  22. press — to push
  23. tear — from crying
  24. band — a rubber band

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