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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. bound — tied together
  3. squash — to crush
  4. rash — a series
  5. rash — hasty
  6. ground — the earth
  7. last — finally
  8. squash — the sport
  9. ground — crushed
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. bass — low music
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. last — to go on
  14. press — a publisher
  15. last — final
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. press — to push
  18. bass — the fish
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. bound — certain
  21. vault — a safe
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. bound — obliged
  24. press — newspapers

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