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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: bound · squash · rash · press · bore · firm · game · staff

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. press — to push
  4. bound — certain
  5. squash — the sport
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bound — obliged
  8. game — wild animals
  9. firm — steady
  10. bound — tied together
  11. squash — to crush
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. press — a publisher
  14. firm — a company
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. press — newspapers
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. staff — a stick
  19. rash — a series
  20. game — a match
  21. rash — hasty
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — employees
  24. firm — decided

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