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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 120 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: press · spring · stock · ruler · bound · charge · drill · key

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. drill — a practice
  3. key — in music
  4. bound — obliged
  5. spring — the season
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. charge — a price
  8. press — newspapers
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. bound — tied together
  11. spring — of water
  12. charge — in control
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. spring — a coil
  15. drill — army training
  16. drill — the tool
  17. stock — goods
  18. key — the most important part
  19. charge — electricity
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. stock — shares
  22. bound — certain
  23. key — for a lock
  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