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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. drill — the tool
  4. press — newspapers
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. bound — obliged
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. board — to get on
  9. fine — high quality
  10. degree — temperature
  11. squash — to crush
  12. degree — from a university
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. bound — certain
  15. squash — the sport
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. drill — army training
  18. degree — an amount
  19. press — a publisher
  20. board — a committee
  21. bound — tied together
  22. press — to push
  23. drill — a practice
  24. rush — hurry

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