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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. lie — to recline
  3. wind — moving air
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bound — certain
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bound — tied together
  8. wind — moving air
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. press — to push
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. press — newspapers
  13. key — for a lock
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. press — a publisher
  16. rest — what's left
  17. key — the most important part
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. key — in music
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — a break
  23. suit — in cards
  24. lie — an untruth

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