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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. press — to push
  3. press — a publisher
  4. swing — music
  5. swing — in golf
  6. mine — for digging
  7. press — newspapers
  8. bound — certain
  9. game — wild animals
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. cue — a hint
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. swing — to play on
  15. cue — a signal
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. cue — for pool
  21. game — a match
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. leaves — of a tree

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