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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. press — to push
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. rush — hurry
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. cell — in biology
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. pit — a hole
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. rule — a law
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. pit — in a race
  15. press — newspapers
  16. date — the fruit
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. cell — a phone
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. press — a publisher
  21. rule — government
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. date — on the calendar

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