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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bound — certain
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. press — newspapers
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. file — a document
  8. press — a publisher
  9. scale — size or range
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. plane — a tool
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. squash — the sport
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. squash — to crush
  16. bound — tied together
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. snap — to click
  19. scale — in music
  20. press — to push
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. file — a line of people
  23. file — a tool
  24. wave — with your hand

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