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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. press — newspapers
  3. mine — for digging
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. bound — certain
  6. march — the month
  7. march — the month
  8. last — finally
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. face — part of the head
  11. face — to confront
  12. mug — to rob
  13. face — to point toward
  14. march — music
  15. kid — child
  16. kid — to tease
  17. press — to push
  18. press — a publisher
  19. last — final
  20. mug — a cup
  21. last — to go on
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bound — obliged
  24. mug — a face

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