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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. bound — obliged
  3. court — of law
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. press — newspapers
  6. face — to point toward
  7. press — a publisher
  8. face — part of the head
  9. court — for sport
  10. press — to push
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fine — all right
  13. bear — the animal
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. bound — tied together
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bound — certain
  20. court — of a king
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. face — to confront
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. chair — to sit on

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