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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: bound · ground · press · bass · roll · bank · cap · rule

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. ground — the earth
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. bank — for money
  5. roll — a cake
  6. ground — crushed
  7. press — to push
  8. bass — low music
  9. bank — for money
  10. press — newspapers
  11. cap — a hat
  12. cap — of ice
  13. roll — a list
  14. rule — government
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bound — certain
  19. bass — the fish
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. rule — a law
  22. cap — a lid
  23. bound — obliged
  24. press — a publisher

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