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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. firm — steady
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. bound — obliged
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. foot — a measure
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. roll — a cake
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. perch — the fish
  12. bound — tied together
  13. squash — to crush
  14. press — to push
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. mine — for digging
  17. roll — a list
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. press — a publisher
  20. squash — the sport
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. firm — a company
  23. bound — certain
  24. firm — decided

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