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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. press — a publisher
  3. bound — certain
  4. pop — to visit
  5. bound — tied together
  6. press — to push
  7. march — the month
  8. march — the month
  9. bound — obliged
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. pop — music
  12. tube — a container
  13. fork — in a road
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. press — newspapers
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. pop — soda
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. march — music
  21. tube — the underground
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. mouse — for a computer

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