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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. march — the month
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. spell — letters
  7. press — to push
  8. current — happening now
  9. rule — government
  10. current — of water
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. current — electric
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. snap — to click
  15. march — music
  16. rule — a law
  17. press — a publisher
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. press — newspapers
  22. spell — magic
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. march — the month

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