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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bound — obliged
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. board — to get on
  5. bound — tied together
  6. press — newspapers
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. prune — to trim
  9. field — a subject
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. board — a committee
  12. field — farmland
  13. prune — to trim
  14. content — the amount
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. current — of water
  18. press — a publisher
  19. rush — hurry
  20. field — for sport
  21. press — to push
  22. current — electric
  23. content — happy
  24. current — happening now

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