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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. mine — for digging
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. rule — government
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. bear — the animal
  9. press — to push
  10. net — for catching
  11. cap — of ice
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. net — after costs
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. net — in sport
  16. bear — the animal
  17. cap — a hat
  18. cap — a lid
  19. press — newspapers
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. rule — a law
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. press — a publisher

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