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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. fine — high quality
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. spring — of water
  7. spring — the season
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. club — for dancing
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bound — certain
  13. press — to push
  14. press — a publisher
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. club — a group
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. fine — all right
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. spring — a coil
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. club — for golf
  24. press — newspapers

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