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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 116 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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. press — to push
  4. file — a document
  5. file — a tool
  6. file — a line of people
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. suit — to fit
  13. rule — a law
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. press — a publisher
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. press — newspapers
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — clothes
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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