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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. 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. pop — music
  2. present — there
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bound — certain
  5. press — to push
  6. club — for dancing
  7. pop — to visit
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bore — to drill
  12. club — for golf
  13. present — a gift
  14. club — a group
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bore — to tire
  17. press — newspapers
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. pop — soda
  21. present — the time now
  22. press — a publisher
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. 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