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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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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. press — a publisher
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. press — newspapers
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bound — obliged
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bound — certain
  12. key — for a lock
  13. bound — tied together
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. key — the most important part
  16. key — in music
  17. press — to push
  18. rock — a stone

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