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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 116 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. lean — thin
  5. cell — in biology
  6. rule — government
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. press — to push
  11. suit — clothes
  12. cell — a phone
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. fall — the season
  16. fall — to drop
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. suit — in cards
  19. rule — a law
  20. lean — to bend
  21. press — a publisher
  22. fall — to drop
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. press — newspapers

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