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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. wind — moving air
  4. club — a group
  5. game — wild animals
  6. rule — a law
  7. rule — government
  8. wind — moving air
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. fall — the season
  11. press — a publisher
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. club — for dancing
  14. shower — rain
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. shower — to wash
  17. fall — to drop
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. fall — to drop
  20. press — to push
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. club — for golf
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. game — a match

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