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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. clip — a video
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. press — newspapers
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. clip — to cut
  7. press — a publisher
  8. bound — obliged
  9. march — music
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. press — to push
  12. march — the month
  13. fine — high quality
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bound — certain
  19. march — the month
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bound — tied together
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bore — to tire
  24. fine — all right

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