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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rule — government
  3. content — the amount
  4. suit — to fit
  5. snap — to click
  6. bank — for money
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. mate — a partner
  10. mate — to breed
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bank — of a river
  13. press — newspapers
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. content — happy
  16. rule — a law
  17. press — a publisher
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. press — to push
  20. mate — a friend
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bank — for money
  23. suit — in cards
  24. content — videos and posts

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