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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. bound — tied together
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. present — a gift
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. degree — from a university
  8. club — for golf
  9. bound — obliged
  10. club — for dancing
  11. press — to push
  12. press — a publisher
  13. club — a group
  14. press — newspapers
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. present — there
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. toast — bread
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. degree — temperature
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. bound — certain
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. degree — an amount

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