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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 120 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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. bound — obliged
  3. press — newspapers
  4. cold — an illness
  5. firm — steady
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. fall — to drop
  10. firm — decided
  11. press — a publisher
  12. bound — tied together
  13. lean — to bend
  14. firm — a company
  15. suit — clothes
  16. suit — in cards
  17. bound — certain
  18. fall — to drop
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. suit — to fit
  21. press — to push
  22. fall — the season
  23. lean — thin
  24. cold — not warm

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