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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. field — farmland
  4. firm — decided
  5. firm — steady
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. field — a subject
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. rule — government
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. charge — in control
  15. rule — a law
  16. charge — a price
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. press — newspapers
  19. firm — a company
  20. deal — to handle
  21. charge — electricity
  22. press — a publisher
  23. field — for sport
  24. press — to push

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