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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: lean · deal · bound · last · scale · wake · drill · press

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. lean — to bend
  3. last — final
  4. bound — obliged
  5. press — a publisher
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. last — finally
  8. bound — certain
  9. bound — tied together
  10. deal — to handle
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. scale — in music
  13. drill — the tool
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. wake — a trail
  16. press — to push
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. drill — army training
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. scale — size or range
  22. lean — thin
  23. drill — a practice
  24. last — to go on

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