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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. present — there
  4. season — in sport
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. present — a gift
  7. rest — what's left
  8. pass — a permit
  9. bound — certain
  10. press — a publisher
  11. present — the time now
  12. bound — tied together
  13. press — to push
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. rest — a break
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. press — newspapers
  21. rest — what's left
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. season — of the year

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