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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. press — a publisher
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. suit — to fit
  6. season — in sport
  7. press — to push
  8. field — a subject
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. suit — in cards
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. stand — to bear
  13. season — of the year
  14. rule — a law
  15. field — farmland
  16. field — for sport
  17. fall — to drop
  18. press — newspapers
  19. rule — government
  20. fall — to drop
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. fall — the season

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