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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  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. bound — obliged
  2. rash — a series
  3. press — newspapers
  4. pop — to visit
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. press — a publisher
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. scale — in music
  9. scale — size or range
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bass — the fish
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. rash — hasty
  15. pop — soda
  16. bass — low music
  17. vault — a safe
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. press — to push
  20. ball — a dance
  21. bound — certain
  22. pop — music
  23. ball — a great time
  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