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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cue — for pool
  5. press — newspapers
  6. spell — letters
  7. staff — a stick
  8. wind — moving air
  9. season — in sport
  10. bound — tied together
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — employees
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. press — a publisher
  15. cue — a hint
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. spell — magic
  18. press — to push
  19. bound — obliged
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. season — of the year
  22. spell — a short time
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. wind — moving air

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