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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: lie · race · rule · row · suit · bat · press · fan

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. press — newspapers
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. press — to push
  5. rule — government
  6. bat — the animal
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. rule — a law
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. race — humankind
  13. suit — in cards
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. race — the arms race
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. suit — to fit
  19. row — a line
  20. row — to paddle
  21. race — a contest
  22. press — a publisher
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. lie — to recline

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