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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. bound — obliged
  4. pop — soda
  5. roll — a list
  6. bear — the animal
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. press — newspapers
  9. press — to push
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. pop — to visit
  12. bound — certain
  13. pop — music
  14. bear — the animal
  15. stem — to come from
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. press — a publisher
  18. bound — tied together

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