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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. land — to come down
  5. bound — obliged
  6. land — ground
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. land — a country
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. vault — a safe
  11. bass — low music
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bound — certain
  14. press — to push
  15. press — a publisher
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. suit — to fit
  18. press — newspapers
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bass — the fish
  21. suit — clothes
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. bound — tied together
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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