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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. bound — certain
  4. press — to push
  5. bound — obliged
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. date — the fruit
  11. board — to get on
  12. suit — clothes
  13. snap — to click
  14. board — a committee
  15. suit — in cards
  16. cell — a phone
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. bound — tied together
  20. press — newspapers
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. suit — to fit
  23. cell — in biology
  24. date — on the calendar

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