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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rule · wave · race · firm · content · net · court · press

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. press — newspapers
  3. court — of law
  4. net — after costs
  5. race — humankind
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. firm — a company
  8. court — for sport
  9. race — the arms race
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. firm — decided
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. race — a contest
  16. net — for catching
  17. press — a publisher
  18. court — of a king
  19. rule — government
  20. net — in sport
  21. firm — steady
  22. press — to push
  23. content — happy
  24. content — the amount

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