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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 120 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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. cue — a signal
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. net — after costs
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. cue — a hint
  8. press — a publisher
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. dip — to sink
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. net — in sport
  13. cue — for pool
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. press — to push
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rule — a law
  19. net — for catching
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. rule — government
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. press — newspapers
  24. dip — to dunk

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