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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 116 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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. pit — a hole
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. press — a publisher
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. key — in music
  7. bound — tied together
  8. press — to push
  9. key — for a lock
  10. bound — obliged
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. press — newspapers
  13. key — the most important part
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. bound — certain
  19. wind — moving air
  20. pit — in a race
  21. chair — a leader
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. wind — moving air
  24. wound — an injury

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