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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. bound — certain
  3. object — to protest
  4. bound — obliged
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. object — an aim
  7. present — a gift
  8. rush — hurry
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. lie — to recline
  12. pop — to visit
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. present — there
  15. press — newspapers
  16. press — a publisher
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. object — a thing
  19. press — to push
  20. bound — tied together
  21. present — the time now
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. pop — soda
  24. coach — a trainer

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