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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. last — final
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. fork — in a road
  5. last — to go on
  6. press — to push
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. pass — a permit
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. bound — certain
  13. press — a publisher
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. bound — obliged
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bound — tied together
  21. pound — a weight
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. press — newspapers
  24. pass — to succeed

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