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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 116 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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. rock — music
  3. firm — decided
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. bound — certain
  6. march — the month
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. march — music
  10. bound — tied together
  11. press — newspapers
  12. prune — to trim
  13. firm — a company
  14. prune — to trim
  15. march — the month
  16. press — to push
  17. rock — a stone
  18. pass — a permit
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. press — a publisher
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. bound — obliged

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