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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. club — for golf
  3. ground — crushed
  4. fall — to drop
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. fall — to drop
  7. bound — obliged
  8. press — a publisher
  9. fall — the season
  10. dip — to sink
  11. club — a group
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. press — to push
  14. ground — a position
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bound — certain
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. club — for dancing
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. bound — tied together
  23. ground — the earth
  24. mouse — the animal

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