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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. bear — the animal
  3. cue — for pool
  4. cue — a signal
  5. rule — a law
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. fork — in a road
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. rule — government
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. press — a publisher
  14. season — in sport
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. press — newspapers
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. cue — a hint
  21. press — to push
  22. season — of the year
  23. bear — the animal
  24. dip — to sink

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