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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cabinet · charge · degree · press · rush · mark · bay · rule

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. rush — hurry
  3. charge — a price
  4. charge — in control
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. degree — an amount
  13. charge — electricity
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. mark — a grade
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. rule — government
  18. degree — temperature
  19. degree — from a university
  20. press — a publisher
  21. press — newspapers
  22. rule — a law
  23. mark — a trace
  24. press — to push

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