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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. press — a publisher
  3. press — to push
  4. wound — an injury
  5. spring — a coil
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. bound — obliged
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. vault — a safe
  10. tear — from crying
  11. spring — the season
  12. press — newspapers
  13. tear — from crying
  14. wound — an injury
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. bank — for money
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. bank — of a river
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. spring — of water
  21. bound — certain
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. bound — tied together
  24. bank — for money

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