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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: band · press · bear · can · coach · jam · snap · bound

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bound — certain
  4. band — a music group
  5. can — a tin
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. can — to be able to
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. press — a publisher
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. snap — to click
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bound — tied together
  17. can — a tin
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. press — to push
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. press — newspapers
  23. band — a ring
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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