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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. object — an aim
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. object — to protest
  5. rule — a law
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. object — a thing
  8. club — for golf
  9. bass — the fish
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. press — to push
  14. shower — to wash
  15. press — a publisher
  16. club — a group
  17. club — for dancing
  18. rule — government
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. press — newspapers
  21. shower — rain
  22. deal — to handle
  23. bass — low music
  24. straw — dry grass

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