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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. suit — to fit
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — clothes
  6. stand — to bear
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bound — certain
  9. bound — obliged
  10. club — a group
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. club — for dancing
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bound — tied together
  17. press — a publisher
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. club — for golf
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. mine — for digging
  24. press — newspapers

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