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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. court — for sport
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bound — certain
  7. club — a group
  8. bound — tied together
  9. court — of law
  10. bank — for money
  11. press — a publisher
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. court — of a king
  14. bank — of a river
  15. club — for dancing
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bank — for money
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. press — to push
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. press — newspapers
  24. club — for golf

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