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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. bank — for money
  3. spring — of water
  4. spring — a coil
  5. kid — child
  6. bound — obliged
  7. firm — a company
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bound — certain
  10. firm — decided
  11. spring — the season
  12. bound — tied together
  13. firm — steady
  14. swing — music
  15. press — to push
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. swing — to play on
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. press — a publisher
  21. bank — for money
  22. kid — to tease
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. swing — in 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