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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rush — hurry
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. press — a publisher
  7. march — the month
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. press — to push
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. march — music
  12. rule — a law
  13. key — the most important part
  14. dip — to sink
  15. mark — a grade
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. mark — a trace
  18. key — in music
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rule — government
  22. key — for a lock
  23. press — newspapers
  24. march — the month

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