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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. press — newspapers
  5. press — to push
  6. toast — bread
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. bound — tied together
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. foot — a measure
  11. mate — to breed
  12. wound — an injury
  13. press — a publisher
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — to recline
  16. wound — an injury
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. bound — certain
  20. mate — a partner
  21. mine — for digging
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. bound — obliged

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