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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cell — a phone
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. rule — a law
  5. mark — a trace
  6. press — to push
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. mark — a grade
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. suit — clothes
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. suit — in cards
  13. cell — in biology
  14. press — a publisher
  15. suit — to fit
  16. rash — a series
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. press — newspapers
  19. rash — hasty
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. rule — government
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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