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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. spell — magic
  3. press — a publisher
  4. cell — in biology
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. spell — a short time
  8. spell — letters
  9. cue — for pool
  10. press — newspapers
  11. game — wild animals
  12. cue — a signal
  13. press — to push
  14. rule — a law
  15. bound — obliged
  16. cell — a phone
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. game — a match
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. cue — a hint
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. rule — government
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. bound — certain

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