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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. face — to point toward
  4. squash — the sport
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. swing — in golf
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bound — certain
  9. stem — to come from
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. bound — tied together
  12. press — newspapers
  13. ball — a great time
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. face — part of the head
  16. swing — music
  17. squash — to crush
  18. face — to confront
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. press — a publisher
  21. swing — to play on
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. press — to push
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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