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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. snap — to click
  4. press — a publisher
  5. lie — to recline
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. charge — a price
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — to be able to
  11. rule — government
  12. charge — in control
  13. clip — a video
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. clip — to cut
  16. clip — for paper
  17. present — there
  18. can — a tin
  19. press — newspapers
  20. charge — electricity
  21. rule — a law
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. press — to push
  24. present — a gift

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