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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. content — the amount
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. chair — a leader
  5. bound — tied together
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. spell — a short time
  8. spell — magic
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. press — newspapers
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — for money
  14. bound — certain
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. bank — of a river
  17. press — a publisher
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. spell — letters
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. content — happy
  23. foot — a measure
  24. press — to push

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