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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: lie · press · march · current · pit · bound · object · can

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. march — the month
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. object — an aim
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bound — obliged
  8. object — to protest
  9. press — a publisher
  10. can — to be able to
  11. can — a tin
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. bound — certain
  14. current — of water
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. current — happening now
  17. pit — a hole
  18. march — the month
  19. current — electric
  20. march — music
  21. lie — to recline
  22. object — a thing
  23. press — newspapers
  24. can — a tin

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