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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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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bound — certain
  5. content — happy
  6. pop — soda
  7. press — newspapers
  8. saw — the tool
  9. scale — in music
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. press — a publisher
  12. pop — to visit
  13. press — to push
  14. content — the amount
  15. pop — music
  16. bound — obliged
  17. saw — the tool
  18. content — videos and posts

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