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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're on a ________________ here.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. bound — obliged
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. roll — a cake
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. cell — in biology
  9. press — to push
  10. ball — a great time
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. press — a publisher
  13. bound — certain
  14. cell — a phone
  15. roll — a list
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. bound — tied together
  18. chair — a leader
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. press — newspapers
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. stand — to bear

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