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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. press — a publisher
  3. rule — government
  4. press — to push
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. prune — to trim
  7. swing — music
  8. land — to come down
  9. land — a country
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. press — newspapers
  12. bear — the animal
  13. rash — a series
  14. rule — a law
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. land — ground
  19. prune — to trim
  20. swing — to play on
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. swing — in golf
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  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