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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: bat · ground · sharp · leaves · bound · rest · press · nail

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. ground — the earth
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. bound — certain
  7. ground — a position
  8. press — to push
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. rest — a break
  11. press — newspapers
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. bat — the animal
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. rest — what's left
  19. ground — crushed
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. rest — what's left
  22. sharp — clever
  23. press — a publisher
  24. bound — obliged

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