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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. stand — to bear
  3. firm — a company
  4. march — the month
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. press — newspapers
  8. rule — a law
  9. firm — steady
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. rule — government
  13. game — wild animals
  14. firm — decided
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. press — a publisher
  17. march — music
  18. bore — to tire
  19. game — a match
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. bore — to drill
  22. march — the month
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bear — the animal

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