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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 120 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 assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. bound — tied together
  3. rash — a series
  4. bound — certain
  5. press — a publisher
  6. object — a thing
  7. fine — high quality
  8. press — newspapers
  9. rash — hasty
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. chip — to eat
  12. ball — a dance
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. ball — a great time
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. object — to protest
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. object — an aim
  21. bound — obliged
  22. stand — to bear
  23. chip — for betting
  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