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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. press — newspapers
  3. tear — to rip
  4. hand — help
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. tear — from crying
  7. rule — a law
  8. spell — a short time
  9. hand — in cards
  10. tear — from crying
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. spell — magic
  13. spell — letters
  14. press — to push
  15. press — a publisher
  16. rest — what's left
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. rest — what's left
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. rest — a break
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. deal — to handle
  24. rule — government

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