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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. drill — army training
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. fall — to drop
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. drill — the tool
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. press — a publisher
  9. press — to push
  10. bear — the animal
  11. drill — a practice
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bear — the animal
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. season — in sport
  16. mug — a cup
  17. fall — to drop
  18. season — of the year
  19. rule — a law
  20. mug — a face
  21. press — newspapers
  22. fall — the season
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. mug — to rob

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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