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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 120 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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bound — certain
  4. march — the month
  5. press — newspapers
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. club — a group
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. ground — a position
  10. club — for golf
  11. deal — to handle
  12. ground — the earth
  13. march — the month
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. press — a publisher
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. march — music
  20. press — to push
  21. bound — tied together
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. club — for dancing
  24. ground — crushed

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