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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bound — obliged
  5. press — to push
  6. suit — clothes
  7. content — happy
  8. bound — certain
  9. object — an aim
  10. rock — music
  11. object — a thing
  12. content — the amount
  13. season — of the year
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. rock — a stone
  16. object — to protest
  17. suit — to fit
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. season — in sport
  20. press — a publisher
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. fall — the season
  23. bound — tied together
  24. press — newspapers

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