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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bound — certain
  3. press — a publisher
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. staff — employees
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pit — in a race
  10. prune — to trim
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. press — newspapers
  14. press — to push
  15. rule — a law
  16. bound — tied together
  17. rule — government
  18. staff — employees
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. prune — to trim
  21. staff — a stick
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. pit — a hole
  24. ruler — for measuring

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