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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. bore — to drill
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. rule — a law
  6. face — part of the head
  7. file — a line of people
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bore — to tire
  10. press — to push
  11. file — a tool
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. file — a document
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. press — newspapers
  16. face — to confront
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. face — to point toward
  19. court — of law
  20. rule — government
  21. press — a publisher
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. court — for sport
  24. court — of a king

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