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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 am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bound — obliged
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bound — certain
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bore — to tire
  10. press — a publisher
  11. club — for golf
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. mark — a trace
  17. bear — the animal
  18. press — newspapers
  19. bass — the fish
  20. club — a group
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. club — for dancing
  23. press — to push
  24. bass — low music

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