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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. press — to push
  4. pass — a permit
  5. bound — certain
  6. suit — to fit
  7. press — a publisher
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. cold — not warm
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bore — to drill
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. cold — an illness
  15. press — newspapers
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. suit — clothes
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bound — tied together
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. suit — in cards
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. nail — for a hammer

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