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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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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: mate · bay · ball · rule · roll · press · suit · rush

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. suit — to fit
  3. press — a publisher
  4. suit — clothes
  5. ball — a dance
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. mate — a partner
  9. roll — a list
  10. rule — government
  11. press — newspapers
  12. rush — hurry
  13. press — to push
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. mate — a friend
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. ball — a great time
  22. suit — in cards
  23. roll — a cake
  24. rule — a law

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