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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. squash — the sport
  3. bound — tied together
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. march — the month
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bound — obliged
  9. band — a ring
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. press — newspapers
  13. squash — to crush
  14. march — music
  15. band — a music group
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. press — to push
  18. bound — certain
  19. march — the month
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. stand — to bear
  22. toast — bread
  23. press — a publisher
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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