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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. rest — what's left
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. roll — a list
  7. band — a ring
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bound — obliged
  11. deal — to handle
  12. roll — a cake
  13. rest — a break
  14. press — a publisher
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. press — to push
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. press — newspapers
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. band — a music group
  22. bore — to tire
  23. rest — what's left
  24. bound — certain

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