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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. press — newspapers
  5. chest — of your body
  6. chest — of your body
  7. craft — a skill
  8. cue — for pool
  9. track — to keep track
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. press — to push
  12. track — a path
  13. chest — a box
  14. pound — a weight
  15. cue — a hint
  16. track — a song
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. cue — a signal
  19. craft — boats
  20. bound — certain
  21. bound — obliged
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. press — a publisher
  24. bound — tied together

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