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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. present — there
  3. bound — certain
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. bound — obliged
  6. swing — in golf
  7. dip — to sink
  8. net — after costs
  9. net — in sport
  10. swing — music
  11. press — a publisher
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. present — the time now
  14. rash — a series
  15. press — to push
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. rash — hasty
  19. swing — to play on
  20. stem — to come from
  21. net — for catching
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. bound — tied together
  24. present — a gift

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