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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 120 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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bound — certain
  5. lean — to bend
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. press — newspapers
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. bound — obliged
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. can — to be able to
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. lean — thin
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. press — a publisher
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. vault — a safe
  19. can — a tin
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. press — to push
  22. wake — a trail
  23. can — a tin
  24. racket — a loud noise

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