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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. bound — obliged
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. press — a publisher
  5. press — newspapers
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. bound — certain
  8. track — a path
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. field — a subject
  11. suit — to fit
  12. net — for catching
  13. net — after costs
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. net — in sport
  16. field — for sport
  17. suit — in cards
  18. track — to keep track
  19. pass — a permit
  20. bound — tied together
  21. field — farmland
  22. rush — hurry
  23. suit — clothes
  24. track — a song

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