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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. lean — to bend
  3. press — to push
  4. board — to get on
  5. press — newspapers
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. cap — a hat
  10. press — a publisher
  11. lean — thin
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. season — in sport
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. cap — a lid
  16. rule — a law
  17. race — a contest
  18. season — of the year
  19. race — the arms race
  20. race — humankind
  21. board — a committee
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. rule — government
  24. cap — of ice

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