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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: bowl · pitcher · wound · spell · bore · press · arm · bound

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. bore — to tire
  7. press — to push
  8. spell — magic
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. wound — an injury
  16. bound — tied together
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. bound — certain
  19. spell — letters
  20. wound — an injury
  21. press — a publisher
  22. spell — a short time
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. pitcher — a jug

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