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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. press — newspapers
  3. scale — size or range
  4. clip — for paper
  5. root — the cause
  6. press — a publisher
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. scale — in music
  9. wind — moving air
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. press — to push
  12. wind — moving air
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. root — of a plant
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. clip — a video
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. root — of a word
  22. rule — government
  23. clip — to cut
  24. bowl — a football final

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