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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: degree · bound · content · bore · press · suit · foot · last

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. bound — obliged
  3. press — newspapers
  4. suit — to fit
  5. suit — in cards
  6. content — happy
  7. degree — from a university
  8. suit — clothes
  9. bore — to drill
  10. content — the amount
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. last — to go on
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bound — tied together
  16. degree — an amount
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. last — final
  19. press — a publisher
  20. bound — certain
  21. last — finally
  22. degree — temperature
  23. foot — a measure
  24. press — to push

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