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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bay · bound · suit · land · spring · pitcher · squash · press

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. squash — the sport
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. land — ground
  5. bound — certain
  6. press — newspapers
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bound — obliged
  10. suit — in cards
  11. land — to come down
  12. spring — a coil
  13. spring — the season
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bound — tied together
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. suit — to fit
  19. press — a publisher
  20. squash — to crush
  21. spring — of water
  22. press — to push
  23. land — a country
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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