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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. suit — in cards
  4. press — a publisher
  5. can — a tin
  6. press — to push
  7. charge — in control
  8. charge — electricity
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. bound — obliged
  12. bound — tied together
  13. press — newspapers
  14. charge — a price
  15. mine — for digging
  16. cold — an illness
  17. cold — not warm
  18. can — a tin
  19. stand — to bear
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. can — to be able to
  22. suit — to fit
  23. bound — certain
  24. suit — clothes

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