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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. press — to push
  4. suit — in cards
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. kick — in football
  10. track — a path
  11. press — newspapers
  12. track — a song
  13. date — the fruit
  14. press — a publisher
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. track — to keep track
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. bound — obliged
  21. bound — tied together
  22. suit — clothes
  23. suit — to fit
  24. ruler — for measuring

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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