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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 116 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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. capital — money
  5. snap — to click
  6. firm — steady
  7. hand — in cards
  8. press — newspapers
  9. firm — a company
  10. charge — electricity
  11. bound — certain
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. press — to push
  14. charge — in control
  15. capital — a city
  16. rock — music
  17. charge — a price
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. hand — help
  20. press — a publisher
  21. firm — decided
  22. rock — a stone
  23. bound — tied together
  24. rock — to move gently

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