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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. fall — to drop
  3. bulb — for light
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rule — a law
  6. fall — the season
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. press — a publisher
  9. rule — government
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. press — to push
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. bulb — for light
  15. fine — all right
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. press — newspapers
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. jam — in traffic

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