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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. rule — government
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. track — a song
  6. press — to push
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. track — to keep track
  11. press — newspapers
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. saw — the tool
  14. press — a publisher
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. rule — a law
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. track — a path
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. saw — the tool
  24. pitcher — a jug

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