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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. kid — child
  4. press — to push
  5. press — a publisher
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. present — the time now
  8. present — there
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. roll — a cake
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. fine — all right
  13. rule — a law
  14. board — to get on
  15. rule — government
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. fine — high quality
  19. roll — a list
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. press — newspapers
  22. board — a committee
  23. kid — to tease
  24. snap — to click

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