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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: coach · present · mark · press · ruler · bound · snap · ball

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  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. ball — a great time
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. present — the time now
  6. press — newspapers
  7. snap — to click
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. bound — tied together
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. mark — a trace
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. present — a gift
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bound — certain
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. bound — obliged
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. present — there
  23. press — to push
  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