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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 116 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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. current — happening now
  3. bound — tied together
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bound — obliged
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. press — a publisher
  8. rash — hasty
  9. current — electric
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. wound — an injury
  13. press — to push
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. wound — an injury
  18. ball — a great time
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. current — of water
  21. rash — a series
  22. ball — a dance
  23. bound — certain
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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