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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. present — the time now
  3. rule — government
  4. rule — a law
  5. mark — a grade
  6. chip — for betting
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. mark — a trace
  9. object — an aim
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. press — a publisher
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. press — to push
  15. press — newspapers
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. object — a thing
  18. present — a gift
  19. chip — to eat
  20. present — there
  21. rush — hurry
  22. pitch — completely
  23. object — to protest
  24. mark — to pay attention

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