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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. press — newspapers
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. kid — to tease
  5. rule — government
  6. land — ground
  7. press — to push
  8. kid — child
  9. land — a country
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. mark — a trace
  15. bear — the animal
  16. rule — a law
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. mark — a grade
  20. bear — the animal
  21. land — to come down
  22. scale — in music
  23. press — a publisher
  24. scale — for weighing

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