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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. tear — to rip
  3. bound — certain
  4. press — a publisher
  5. cap — a hat
  6. tear — from crying
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. cap — of ice
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. roll — a cake
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bound — obliged
  13. board — to get on
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. board — a committee
  16. roll — a list
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. rush — hurry
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. press — newspapers
  21. cap — a lid
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. tear — from crying
  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