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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 120 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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. snap — to click
  3. rule — government
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. file — a tool
  6. file — a document
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. press — a publisher
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. prune — to trim
  11. stand — to bear
  12. press — to push
  13. prune — to trim
  14. last — to go on
  15. vault — a safe
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. file — a line of people
  18. rule — a law
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. last — finally
  21. press — newspapers
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. last — final

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