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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. bound — obliged
  3. pass — a permit
  4. bound — tied together
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. object — to protest
  7. swing — music
  8. bound — certain
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. object — a thing
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. press — to push
  13. swing — in golf
  14. content — the amount
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. swing — to play on
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. press — a publisher
  19. press — newspapers
  20. rock — music
  21. rock — a stone
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. content — happy
  24. pass — to succeed

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