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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. rule — government
  3. press — a publisher
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rock — music
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bass — low music
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. press — newspapers
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. stand — to bear
  19. press — to push
  20. rule — a law
  21. net — after costs
  22. net — for catching
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. stand — for spectators

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