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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. cue — for pool
  6. press — a publisher
  7. cue — a signal
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. kid — child
  10. cue — a hint
  11. pound — a weight
  12. rule — a law
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. rule — government
  15. press — newspapers
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. kid — to tease
  21. press — to push
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. leaves — lets stay

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