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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: march · suit · mouse · bound · cell · press

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. march — the month
  3. press — to push
  4. bound — obliged
  5. march — the month
  6. bound — certain
  7. march — music
  8. cell — in biology
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. press — a publisher
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. cell — a phone
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bound — tied together
  17. suit — to fit
  18. mouse — the animal

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