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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. face — to confront
  4. firm — decided
  5. face — part of the head
  6. press — a publisher
  7. degree — from a university
  8. mate — to breed
  9. degree — an amount
  10. bound — obliged
  11. rush — hurry
  12. mate — a friend
  13. toast — bread
  14. mate — a partner
  15. press — to push
  16. press — newspapers
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. firm — a company
  20. firm — steady
  21. face — to point toward
  22. degree — temperature
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. bound — tied together

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