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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. wind — moving air
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bound — certain
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. press — newspapers
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. wind — moving air
  12. band — a ring
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. firm — steady
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. tube — a container
  17. band — a music group
  18. bound — obliged
  19. firm — decided
  20. press — to push
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. press — a publisher
  23. tube — the underground
  24. firm — a company

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