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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. cap — a hat
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bound — certain
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. cap — a lid
  11. cap — of ice
  12. press — a publisher
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. press — to push
  15. mug — a cup
  16. band — a ring
  17. mug — to rob
  18. mug — a face
  19. lie — to recline
  20. bark — to shout
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. press — newspapers

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